The 

Hebraic  Tongue 
Restored 


Fabre  d'  Olivet 


•  «t  w 


**-r 

nr 


a  r$ 


This  Edition  of  "  The  Hebrew  Tongue  Restored'' 
is  printed  from  type  and  is  Limited  to  500  copies, 


By  Fabre  d'Oliuet 

Done  in  English  by  Mayan  Louise  Redfield 

Hermeneutic  Interpretation  of  the  Origin  of  the 

Social  State  of  Man  and  of  the  Destiny 

of  the  Adamic  Race 

The  Golden  Verses  of  Pythagoras 

The    Hebraic   Tongue    Restored   and   the    True 
Meaning  of  the  Hebrew  Words  Re-estab- 
lished and  Proved  by  their  Radical 
Analysis 


The  Hebraic  Tongue 
Restored 

And  the  True  Meaning  of  the  Hebrew 

Words  Re-established  and 

Proved  by  their  Radical 

Analysis 


By 

Fabre  d'Olivet 

Done  into  English  by 

Nayan  Louise  Redfield 

rnrp 

'He  who  can  rightly  pronounce  it.  causeth 
heaven  and  earth  to  tremble,  for  it  la  the 

NAME 
which     rueheth     through     the     universe.' 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  and  London 

Cbe  •Knickerbocker  press 
1921 


COPYRIGHT   1921 

BY 
NAYXN  LOUISE  REDFIELD 


SET    UP    BY 

THE  INTERNATIONAL   PRESS,  NEW  YORK 
Printed    in    the    United    States    of    America 


To  THE  TORCH-BEARERS  OF  THE  SEVEN-TONGUED-FLAME 

WHO  HAVE  EVER  BEEN  THE  PATH-FlNDERS  AND 

LIGHTS   ON   THE   WAY-OF-KNOWING 

AND  BEING,  I  OFFER  AT  THE 

DAWN-OF-THE-NEW-DAY 

THIS  VOLUME 


Sfacg] 
Annex j 

fj 


TO  THE  READER 

I  would  direct  attention  to  the  English  word-for-word 
translation  given  in  the  Literal  Version  of  the  Cosmogony 
of  Moses.  This  translation  is  d'Olivet's,  and  in  the  foot- 
notes which  accompany  it  I  have  retained  his  selection  of 
words  some  of  which  are  now  obsolete.  In  the  "Correct 
Translation"  at  the  close  of  the  volume  I  have,  however, 
set  aside  some  of  the  quaint  words  making  choice  of  more 
modern  ones. 

N.  L.  R. 


TRANSLATOR'S  FOREWORD. 

THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED  is  a  strong  appeal  to 
those  who,  realizing  that  the  time  of  philosophy  is  past 
and  the  time  of  religion  at  hand,  are  seeking  for  those 
higher  truths  the  spreading  knowledge  of  which  has 
already  altered  the  complexion  of  the  world  and  signalled 
the  approaching  end  of  materialism. 

In  this  prodigious  work  of  Fabre  d'Olivet,  which  first 
appeared  in  1815,  he  goes  back  to  the  origin  of  speech  and 
rebuilds  upon  a  basis  of  truly  colossal  learning  the  edifice 
of  primitive  and  hieroglyphic  Hebrew,  bringing  back  the 
Hebraic  tongue  to  its  constitutive  principles  by  deriving 
it  wholly  from  the  Sign,  which  he  considers  the  symbolic 
and  living  image  of  the  generative  ideas  of  language.  He 
gives  a  neoteric  translation  of  the  first  ten  chapters  of  the 
SEPHER  OF  MOSES  (Genesis)  in  which  he  supports  each 
with  a  scientific,  historic  and  grammatical  commentary 
to  bring  out  the  three  meanings:  literal,  figurative  and 
hieroglyphic,  corresponding  to  the  natural,  psychic  and 
divine  worlds.  He  asserts  plainly  and  fearlessly  that  the 
Genesis  of  Moses  was  symbolically  expressed  and  ought 
not  to  be  taken  in  a  purely  literal  sense.  Saint  Augustine 
recognized  this,  and  Origen  avers  that  "if  one  takes  the 
history  of  the  creation  in  the  literal  sense,  it  is  absurd 
and  contradictory." 

Fabre  d'Olivet  claims  that  the  Hebrew  contained  in 
Genesis  is  the  pure  idiom  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  and 
considering  that  nearly  six  centuries  before  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Hebrews  having  become  Jews  no  longer  spoke  nor 
understood  their  original  tongue,  he  denies  the  value  of  the 
Hebrew  as  it  is  understood  today,  and  has  undertaken  to 
restore  this  tongue  lost  for  twenty-five  centuries.  The  truth 

ix 


of  this  opinion  does  not  appear  doubtful,  since  the  Hebrews 
according  to  Genesis  itself  remained  some  four  hundred 
years  in  Egypt.  This  idiom,  therefdre,  having  become 
separated  from  a  tongue  which  had  attained  its  highest 
perfection  and  was  composed  entirely  of  universal,  intel- 
lectual, abstract  expressions,  would  naturally  fall  from 
degeneracy  to  degeneracy,  from  restriction  to  restriction, 
to  its  most  material  elements;  all  that  was  spirit  would 
become  substance;  all  that  was  intellectual  would  become 
sentient ;  all  that  was  universal,  particular. 

According  to  the  Essenian  tradition,  every  word  in 
this  Scphcr  of  Moses  contains  three  meanings — the  positive 
or  simple,  the  comparative  or  figurative,  the  superlative 
or  hieratic.  When  one  has  penetrated  to  this  last  mean- 
ing, all  things  are  disclosed  through  a  radiant  illumina- 
tion and  the  soul  of  that  one  attains  to  heights  which  those 
bound  to  the  narrow  limits  of  the  positive  meaning  and 
satisfied  with  the  letter  which  killeth,  never  know. 

The  learned  Maimonides  says  "Employ  you  reason, 
and  you  will  be  able  to  discern  what  is  said  allegorical- 
ly,  figuratively  and  hyperbolically,  and  what  is  meant 
literallv." 


HARTFORD,  CONN. 
October,  IQI& 


NAYAN  LOUISE  KEDFIELD 


NOTE. 

It  may  be  noted  by  the  careful  student  that  the  Syriac  characters 
in  this  volume  are  in  some  instances  not  exactly  correct.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  impossibility  of  securing  better  types  necessitated  the 
use  of  these  unsatisfactory  forms.  For  this  the  author  and  the  pub- 
lishers ask  the  indulgence  of  the  reader. 


THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

AND   THE   TRUE    MEANING   OF   THE   HEBREW 

WORDS  RE-ESTABLISHED  AND  PROVED 

BY  THEIR  RADICAL  ANALYSIS. 

In  this  work  is  found: 

1st— INTRODUCTORY  DISSERTATION  upon  the 
Origin  of  Speech,  the  study  of  the  tongues  which 
can  lead  to  this  origin  and  the  purpose  that  the 
Author  has  in  view; 

2nd. — HEBRAIC  GRAMMAR  founded  upon  new  prin- 
ciples, and  made  useful  for  the  study  of  tongues  in 
general ; 

3rd.— SERIES  OF  HEBRAIC  ROOTS  considered 
under  new  relations,  and  destined  to  facilitate  the 
understanding  of  language,  and  that  of  etymological 
science ; 

4th.— PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE; 

5th. — Translation  into  English  of  the  first  ten  chapters 
of  the  Sepher,  containing  the  COSMOGONY  OF 
MOSES 

This  translation,  destined  to  serve  as  proof  of  the 
principles  laid  down  in  the  Grammar  and  in  the  Dictionary, 
is  preceded  by  a  LITERAL  VERSION,  in  French  and  in 
English,  made  upon  the  Hebrew  Text  presented  in  the  orig- 
inal with  a  transcription  in  modern  characters  and  accom- 
panied by  critical  and  grammatical  notes,  wherein  the 
interpretation  given  to  each  word  is  proved  by  its  radical 
analysis  and  its  comparison  with  the  analogous  word  in 
Samaritan,  Chaldaic,  Syriac,  Arabic  or  Greek. 


CONTENTS 
OF  PART  FIRST 

INTRODUCTORY  DISSERTATION. 

PAGE 

§1.  Upon  the  Origin  of  Speech  and  upon  the  Study  of 

the  Tongues  which,  can  lead  to  it  •.-.»; 3 

§11.  Hebraic  Tongue :  Authenticity  of  the  Sepher  of 

Moses;  Vicissitudes  experienced  by  this  book.  .  21 

§111.     Continuation  of  the  Re  volutions  of  the  Sepher.     Origin 

of  the  Principal  Versions  which  have  been  made     37 

HEBRAIC  GRAMMAR. 

Chapter  I.  General  Principles. 

§1.         The  Real  Purpose  of  this  Grammar 55 

§11.       Etymology   and   Definition 60 

§111.     Division  of  Grammar:  Parts  of  Speech 65 

§IV.     Hebraic  Alphabet :   Comparative   Alphabet 70-71 

Chapter  II.  Signs  Considered  as  Characters. 

§1.         Hebraic  Alphabet:  its  vowels:  its  origin 73 

xiii 


Xiv  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

§11.       Origin  of  the  Vowel  Points 77 

§111.     Effects  of  the  Vowel  Points.     Samaritan  Text.  ...  84 

Chapter  III.  Characters  Considered  as  Signs. 

§1.  Traced  Characters,  one  of  the  elements  of  Language  : 

Hieroglyphic  Principle  of  their  Primitive  Form  89 

§11.  Origin  of  Signs  and  Their  Development:  Those  of 

the  Hebraic  Tongue 93 

§111.     Use  of  the  Signs :  Example  drawn  from  the  French  99 

Chapter  IV.  The  Sign  Producing  the  Boot. 

§1.        Digression   on   the   Principle   and   the   Constitutive 

Elements  of  the  Sign 103 

§11.       Formation  of  the  Root  and  of  the  Relation 107 

§111.     Preposition  and  Inter jectiom 114 

Chapter  V.  The  Noun. 

§1         The    Noun    Considered    under    seven    relations: 

Etymology    119 

§11.       Quality 124 

§111.     Gender 132 

§IV.      Number    135 

§V.       Movement 139 

§VI.      Construct  State 147 

§VII.    Signification 150 

Chapter  VI.  Nominal  Relations. 

§1.        Absolute   Pronouns 151 

§11.       Affixes , 155 

§111.     Use  of  the  Affixes 161 

Chapter  VII.  The  Verb. 

§1.         Absolute  Verb  and  Particular  Verbs 167 


CONTENTS  .XV 

MM 

§11.       Three  Kinds  of  Particular  Verbs '17S 

§111.     Analysis  of  Nominal  Verbs:  Verbal  Inflection 17Y 

Chapter  VIII.  Modifications  of  the  Verb. 

§1.         Form  and  Movement 183 

§11.       Tense 187 

§111.     Formation  of  Verbal  Tenses  by  Means  of  Pronom- 
inal Persons 192 

Chapter  IX.  Conjugations. 

§1.         Radical  Conjugation 197 

Remarks  upon   the  Radical  Conjugation 207 

§11.       Derivative  Conjugation    212 

Remarks  upon  the  Derivative  Conjugation 220 

§111.     Compound  Radical  Conjugation  with  the  Initial  Ad- 
junction * . 225 

Remarks  on  the   Compound  Radical   Conjugation. 

Initial  Adjunction  » 230 

§IV.      Compound  Radical  Conjugation  with  the  Initial  Ad- 
junction J 233 

Remarks  on  the  Compound  Radical  Conjugation.  .   238 

§V.        Compound  Radical  Conjugation  with  the  Termina- 

tive  Adjunction 241 

Remarks  on  the  Compound  Radical  Conjugation.  .   246 
§VI.      Irregular  Conjugations    250 

Chapter  X.  Construction  of  Verbs :  Adverbial  Relations : 
Paragogic  Characters:  Conclusion. 

§1.  Union  of  Verbs  with  Verbal  Affixes 255 

§11.  Adverbial  Relations 262 

§111.  Paragogic   Characters    271 

§IV.  Conclusion    275 


XV1  CONTENTS 

PAQB 

Radical  Vocabulary  :  Prefatory  Note 279 

HEBRAIC  ROOTS. 

K      A.  .. 287 

2      B 300 

2       G 310 

-I      D 318 

H      H.  E 326 

1       0.    OU.   W 334 

I       Z 339 

n      E.  H.  CH 345 

ID      T 356 

"       1 361 

D      CH.   KH 368 

•?      L 377 

ID      M 385 

:       N 394 

D      S 405 

P      U.  H.  WH 413 

B      PH 422 

X      TZ 430 

p      KQ 438 

1      R 446 

5?     SH 455 

n      TH.  .  465 


The 
Hebraic   Tongue  Restored 

PART    FIRST 

I 
INTRODUCTORY    DISSERTATION 


INTRODUCTORY  DISSERTATION. 

§  I. 

UPON  THE  ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  AND  UPON  THE 

STUDY  OF  THE  TONGUES  WHICH  CAN  LEAD 

TO  IT. 

The  origin  of  speech  is  generally  unknown.  It  is  in 
vain  that  savants  of  the  centuries  past  have  endeavoured  to 
go  back  to  the  hidden  principles  of  this  glorious  pheno- 
menon which  distinguishes  man  from  all  the  beings  by 
which  he  is  surrounded,  reflects  his  thought,  arms  him 
with  the  torch  of  genius  and  develops  his  moral  faculties; 
all  that  they  have  been  able  to  do,  after  long  labours,  has 
been  to  establish  a  series  of  conjectures  more  or  less  in- 
genious, more  or  less  probable,  founded  in  general,  upon 
the  physical  nature  of  man  which  they  judged  invariable, 
and  which  they  took  as  basis  for  their  experiments.  I  do 
not  speak  here  of  the  scholastic  theologians  who  in  order 
to  extricate  themselves  from  perplexity  upon  this  dif- 
ficult point,  taught  that  man  had  been  created  possessor 
of  a  tongue  wholly  formed;  nor  of  Bishop  Walton  who, 
having  embraced  this  convenient  opinion,  gave  as  proof, 
the  conversation  of  God  Himself  with  the  first  man,  and 
the  discourses  of  Eve  with  the  serpent ; l  not  reflecting 
that  this  so-called  serpent  which  conversed  with  Eve,  and 
to  which  God  also  spoke,  might,  therefore,  have  drawn 
from  the  same  source  of  speech  and  participated  in  the 
tongue  of  the  Divinity.  I  refer  to  those  savants  who,  far 
from  the  dust  and  clamours  of  the  school,  sought  in  good 
faith  the  truth  that  the  school  no  longer  possessed.  More- 
over, the  theologians  themselves  had  been  abandoned  long 
since  by  their  disciples.  Richard  Simon,  the  priest,2  from 

1  Walton,  Prolegom  I. 

2  Rich.  Sim.  Histoire  crit.  L.  I,  ch.  14  et  15. 


4  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

whom  we  have  an  excellent  critical  history  of  the  Old 
Testament,  did  not  fear,  relying  upon  the  authority  of 
Saint  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  to  reject  theological  opinion  in 
this  respect,  and  to  adopt  that  of  Diodorus  Siculus  and 
even  that  of  Lucretius,  who  attribute  the  formation  of 
language  to  the  nature  of  man  and  to  the  instigation  of 
his  needs.3 

It  is  not  because  I  here  oppose  the  opinion  of 
Diodorus  Siculus  or  Lucretius  to  that  of  the  theologians, 
that  one  should  infer  that  I  consider  it  the  best.  All  the 
eloquence  of  J.  J.  Rousseau  could  not  make  me  approve 
of  it.  It  is  one  extreme  striking  another  extreme,  and  by 
this  very  thing  departing  from  the  just  mean  where  truth 
abides.  Rousseau  in  his  nervous,  passionate  style,  pictures 
the  formation  of  society  rather  than  that  of  language :  he 
embellishes  his  fictions  with  most  vivid  colours,  and  he 
himself,  drawn  on  by  his  imagination,  believes  real  what 
is  only  fantastic.4  One  sees  plainly  in  his  writing  a  pos- 
sible beginning  of  civilization  but  no  probable  origin  of 
speech.  It  is  to  no  purpose  that  he  has  said  that  the 
meridional  tongues  are  the  daughters  of  pleasure  and  those 
of  the  North,  of  necessity :  one  still  asks,  how  pleasure 
or  necessity  can  bring  forth  simultaneously,  words  which 
an  entire  tribe  agrees  in  understanding  and  above  all 
agrees  in  adopting.  Is  it  not  he  who  has  said,  with  cold, 
severe  reason,  that  language  could  be  instituted  only  by 
an  agreement  and  that  this  agreement  could  not  be  con- 
ceived without  language?  This  vicious  circle  in  which  a 
modern  theosophist  confines  it,  can  it  be  eluded?  "Those 
who  devote  themselves  to  the  pretension  of  forming  our 
tongues  and  all  the  science  of  our  understanding,  by  the 
expedients  of  natural  circumstances  alone,  and  by  our 
human  means  alone,"  says  this  theosophist,5  "expose 

s  Diod-Sic.  L.  II.  "At  varies  linguae  sonitus  natura  subegit 

Mittere,  et  utilitas  expressit  nomina  rerum." 

— L.UCRET. 

*  Essai  sur  I'origlne  des  Langucs. 
5  St.-Martin  Esprit  des  choses,  T.  II  p.  127. 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  5 

themselves  voluntarily  to  this  terrible  objection  that  they 
themselves  have  raised;  for  he  who  only  denies,  does  not 
destroy,  and  he  does  not  refute  an  argument  because  he 
disapproves  of  it :  if  the  language  of  man  is  an  agreement, 
how  is  this  Agreement  established  without  language?" 

Read  carefully  both  Locke  and  his  most  painstaking 
disciple  Condillac;6  you  will,  if  you  desire,  have  assisted 
at  the  decomposition  of  an  ingenious  contrivance;  you 
will  have  admired,  perhaps,  the  dexterity  of  the  decom- 
poser ;  but  you  will  remain  as  ignorant  as  you  were  before, 
both  concerning  the  origin  of  this  contrivance,  the  aim 
proposed  by  its  author,  its  inner  nature  and  the  principle 
which  moves  its  machinations.  Whether  you  reflect  ac- 
cording to  your  own  opinion,  or  whether  long  study  has 
taught  you  think  according  to  others,  you  will  soon  per- 
ceive in  the  adroit  analyst  only  a  ridiculous  operator  who, 
flattering  himself  that  he  is  explaining  to  you  how  and 
why  such  an  actor  dances  in  the  theatre,  seizes  a  scalpel 
and  dissects  the  legs  of  a  cadaver.  Your  memory  recalls 
Socrates  and  Plato.  You  hear  them  again  rebuking  harsh- 
ly the  physicists  and  the  metaphysicians  of  their  time ; 7 
you  compare  their  irresistible  arguments  with  the  vain 
jactancy  of  these  empirical  writers,  and  you  feel  clearly 
that  merely  taking  a  watch  to  pieces  does  not  suffice  to 
give  reason  for  its  movement. 

But  if  the  opinion  of  the  theologians  upon  the  origin 
of  speech  offends  reason,  if  that  of  the  historians  and  the 
philosophers  cannot  hold  out  against  a  severe  examina- 
tion, it  is  therefore  not  given  to  man  to  know  it.  Man, 
who  according  to  the  meaning  of  the  inscription  of  the 
temple  of  Delphi,*  can  know  nothing  only  so  far  as  he 

«  Locke.  Essay  concern.  Human  Understand.  B.  Ill;  Condillac 
Looique. 

^  Plat,  dial  Thcact.  Phaedon.  Crat. 

•  This  famous  inscription,  Know  thyself  was,  according  to  Pliny, 
a  saying  of  the  sage  Chilo,  a  celebrated  Greek  philosopher  who  lived 
about  560  B.  C.  He  was  from  Lacedaemon  and  died  of  joy,  it  was 
said,  embracing  his  son,  victor  in  the  Olympic  games. 


G  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

knows  himself,  is  therefore  condemned  to  be  ignorant  of 
what  places  him  in  the  highest  rank  among  sentient 
beings,  of  what  gives  him  the  sceptre  of  the  earth,  of  what 
constitutes  him  veritably  man, — namely  Speech!  no!  that 
cannot  be,  because  Providence  is  just.  Quite  a  consider- 
able number  of  the  sages  among  all  nations  have  pene- 
trated this  mystery,  and  if,  notwithstanding  their  efforts, 
these  privileged  men  have  been  unable  to  communicate 
their  learning  and  make  it  universal,  it  is  because  the 
means,  the  disciples  or  the  favourable  conditions  for  this, 
have  failed  them. 

For  the  knowledge  of  speech,  that  of  the  elements 
and  the  origin  of  language,  are  not  attainments  that 
can  be  transmitted  readily  to  others,  or  that  can  be  taken 
to  pieces  after  the  manner  of  the  geometricians.  To  what- 
ever extent  one  may  possess  them,  whatever  profound 
roots  they  may  have  thrown  into  the  mind,  whatever 
numerous  fruits  they  may  have  developed  there,  only  the 
principle  can  ever  be  communicated.  Thus,  nothing  in 
elementary  nature  is  propagated  at  the  same  time:  the 
most  vigorous  tree,  the  most  perfect  animal  do  not  pro- 
duce simultaneously  their  likeness.  They  yield,  according 
to  their  specie,  a  germ  at  first  very  different  from  tty&rn, 
which  remains  barren  if  nothing  from  without  cooperates 
for  its  development. 

The  archaeological  sciences,  that  is  to  say,  all  those 
which  go  back  to  the  principles  of  things,  are  in  the  same 
category.  Vainly  the  sages  who  possess  them  are  exhaust- 
ed by  generous  efforts  to  propagate  them.  The  most  fertile 
germs  that  they  scatter,  received  by  minds  uncultivated 
or  badly  prepared,  undergo  the  fate  of  seeds,  which  fall- 
ing upon  stony  ground  or  among  thorns,  sterile  or  choked 
die  there.  ;vOur  savants  have  not  lacked  aid;  it  is  the  apti- 
tude for  receiving  it  that  has  been  lacking.  ,  The  greater 
part  of  them  who  ventured  to  write  upon  tongues,  did  not 
even  know  what  a  tongue  was ;  for  it  is  not  enough  merely 
to  have  compiled  grammars,  or  to  have  toiled  laboriously 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  7 

to  find  the  difference  between  a  supine  and  a  gerund;  it 
is  necessary  to  have  explored  many  idioms,  to  have  com- 
pared them  assiduously  and  without  prejudices;  in  order 
to  penetrate,  through  the  points  of  contact  of  their  parti- 
cular genius,  to  the  universal  genius  which  presides  over 
their  formation,  and  which  tends  to  make  only  one  sole 
and  same  tongue. 

Among  the  ancient  idioms  of  Asia,  are  three  that  it 
is  absolutely  imperative  to  understand  if  one  would  pro- 
ceed with  assurance  in  the  field  of  etymology  and  rise  by 
degrees  to  the  source  of  language.  These  idioms,  that  I 
can  justly  name  tongues,  in  the  restricted  meaning  which 
one  has  given  to  this  word,  are  Chinese,  Sanskrit  and 
Hebrew.  Those  of  my  readers  who  are  familiar  with  the 
works  of  the  savants  of  Calcutta  and  particularly  those 
of  Sir  William  Jones,  may  perhaps  be  astonished  that  I 
name  Hebrew  in  place  of  the  Arabic  from  which  this 
estimable  writer  derives  the  Hebraic  idiom,  and  which  he 
cites  as  one  of  the  mother-tongues  of  Asia.  I  shall  explain 
my  thought  in  this  respect,  and  at  the  same  time  state  why 
I  do  not  name  either  Persian,  or  Uigurian  Tataric,  which 
one  might  think  I  had  forgotten. 

'When  Sir  William  Jones,  glancing  with  observant 
eye  over  the  vast  continent  of  Asia  and  over  its  numerous 
dependent  isles,  placed  therein  the  five  ruling  nations, 
among  which  he  divided  the  heritage,  he  created  a  geo- 
graphical tableau  of  happy  conception  and  great  interest 
that  the  historian  ought  not  to  overlook.8  But  in  establish- 
ing this  division  his  consideration  was  rather  of  the 
power  and  extent  of  the  peoples  that  he  named,  than  of 
their  true  claims  to  anteriority;  since  he  did  not  hesitate 
to  say  that  the  Persians,  whom  he  ranked  among  the  five 
ruling  nations,  draw  their  origin  from  the  Hindus  and 
Arabs,9  and  that  the  Chinese  are  only  an  Indian  colony;10 

8  Asiat.  Research.  T.  I. 
»  Ibid.  T.  II.  p.  51. 
10  Asiat.  Research.  T.  II.  p.  368,  379. 


8  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

therefore,  recognizing  only  three  primordial  sources,  viz., 
that  of  the  Tatars,  that  of  the  Hindus  and  that  of  the 
Arabs. 

Although  I  may  not  agree  wholly  with  him  in  this 
conclusion,  I  infer  nevertheless,  as  I  have  already  said, 
that  this  writer,  in  naming  the  five  principal  nations  of 
Asia,  considered  their  power  more  than  their  true  rights 
to  anteriority.  It  is  evident,  to  say  the  least,  that  if  he 
had  not  been  obliged  to  yield  to  the  eclat  with  which  the 
Arabic  name  is  surrounded  in  these  modern  times,  due 
to  the  appearance  of  Mohammed,  to  the  propagation  of 
the  cult,  and  of  the  Islamic  empire,  Sir  William  Jones 
would  not  have  chosen  the  Arabic  people  instead  of  the 
Hebrew  people,  thus  making  the  former  one  of  the  primor- 
dial sources  of  Asia. 

This  writer  had  made  too  careful  a  study  of  the 
Asiatic  tongues  not  to  have  known  that  the  names  which 
we  give  to  the  Hebrews  and  to  the  Arabs,  however  much 
dissimilar  they  may  appear,  owing  to  our  manner  of  writ- 
ing them,  are  in  substance  only  the  same  epithet  modified 
by  two  different  dialects.  All  the  world  knows  that  both 
these  peoples  attribute  their  origin  to  the  patriach 
Heber:*  now,  the  name  of  this  so-called  patriarch,  signi- 
fies nothing  less  than  that  which  is  placed  behind 
or  beyond,  that  which  is  distant,  hidden,  deceptive,  de- 
prived of  light;  that  which  passes,  that  which  terminates. 
that  which  is  occidental,  etc.  The  Hebrews,  whose  dialect 
is  evidently  anterior  to  that  of  the  Arabs,  have  derived 
from  it  hebri  and  the  Arabs  harbi,  by  a  transposition  of 
letters  which  is  a  characteristic  of  their  language.  But 
whether  it  be  pronounced  hebri.  or  harbi,  one  or  the  other 
word  expresses  always  that  the  people  who  bear  it  are 
found  placed  either  beyond,  or  at  the  extremity,  at  the 
confines,  or  at  tho  occidental  borders  of  a  country.  From 
*  Following  the  Hebraic  orthography  isy  Tiabar,  following  the 
Arabic  L,  Tiabar.  The  Hebraic  derivative  is-n^y  habri,  a  Hebrew:  the 

Jl* 

Arabic  derivative  Is  ^    -  harbi,  an  Arab. 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  9 

the  most  ancient  times,  this  was  the  situation  of  the 
Hebrews  or  the  Arabs,  relative  to  Asia,  whose  name  in  its 
primitive  root  signifies  the  unique  continent,  the  land,  in 
other  words,  the  Land  of  God. 

If,  far  from  all  systematic  prejudice,  one  considers 
attentively  the  Arabic  idiom,  he  discovers  there  the  cer- 
tain marks  of  a  dialect  which,  in  surviving  all  the  dialects 
emanated  from  the  same  branch,  has  become  successively 
enriched  from  their  debris,  has  undergone  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  time,  and  carried  afar  by  a  conquering  people, 
has  appropriated  a  great  number  of  words  foreign  to  its 
primitive  roots;  a  dialect  which  has  been  polished  and 
fashioned  upon  the  idioms  of  the  vanquished  people,  and 
little  by  little  shown  itself  very  different  from  what  it 
was  in  its  origin;  whereas  the  Hebraic  idiom  on  the 
contrary  (and  I  mean  by  this  idiom  that  of  Moses),  long 
since  extinct  in  its  own  country  and  lost  for  the  people 
who  spoke  it,  was  concentrated  in  one  unique  book,  where 
hardly  any  of  the  vicissitudes  which  had  altered  the  Arfr- 
bic  had  been  able  to  assail  it ;  this  is  what  distinguishes 
it  above  all  and  what  has  made  it  my  choice. 

This  consideration  has  not  escaped  Sir  William  Jones. 
He  has  clearly  seen  that  the  Arabic  idiom,  toward  which 
he  felt  a  strong  inclination,  had  never  produced  any  work 
worthy  of  fixing  the  attention  of  men  prior  to  the 
Koran,11  which  is,  besides",  only  a  development  of  the 
Sepher  of  Moses;  whereas  this  Sepher,  sacred  refuge  of 
the  Hebrew  tongue,  seemed  to  him  to  contain,  independent 
of  a  divine  inspiration,12  more  true  sublimity,  exquisite 
beauties,  pure  morals,  essential  history  and  traits  of 
poetry  and  eloquence,  than  all  the  assembled  books  writ- 
ten in  any  tongue  and  in  any  age  of  the  world. 

However  much  may  be  said  and  however  much  one 
may,  without  doing  the  least  harm  to  the  Sepher,  com- 
pare and  even  prefer  certain  works  equally  famous  among 

11  Asiat.  Research.  T.  II.  p.  13. 

12  Ibid.  T.  II.  p,  15. 


10  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

the  nations,  I  affirm  that  it  contains  for  those  who  can 
read  it,  things  of  lofty  conception  and  of  deep  wisdom; 
but  it  is  assuredly  not  in  the  state  in  which  it  is  shown 
to  the  vulgar  readers,  that  it  merits  such  praise.  Sir 
William  Jones  undoubtedly  understood  it  in  its  purity 
and  this  is  what  I  like  to  believe. 

Besides,  it  is  always  by  works  of  this  nature  that  a 
tongue  acquires  its  right  to  veneration.  The  books  of  uni- 
versal principles,  called  King,  by  the  Chinese,  those  of 
divine  knowledge,  called  Veda  or  Beda,  by  the  Hindus, 
the  Sepher  of  Moses,  these  are  what  make  illustrious  the 
Chinese,  the  Sanskrit  and  the  Hebrew.  Although  Uigurian 
Tataric  may  be  one  of  the  primitive  tongues  of  Asia,  I 
have  not  included  it  as  one  that  should  be  studied  by  the 
student  who  desires  to  go  back  to  the  principle  of  speech ; 
because  nothing  could  be  brought  back  to  this  principle 
in  an  idiom  which  has  not  a  sacred  literature.  Now,  how 
could  the  Tatars  have  had  a  sacred  or  profane  literature, 
they  who  knew  not  even  the  characters  of  writing?  The 
celebrated  Genghis  Khan,  whose  empire  embraced  an  im- 
mense extent,  did  not  find,  according  to  the  best  writers, 
a  single  man  among  his  Mongols  capable  of  writing  his 
dispatches.13  Tamerlane,  ruler  in  his  turn  of  a  part  of 
Asia,  knew  neither  how  to  read  nor  write.  This  lack  of 
character  and  of  literature,  leaving  the  Tataric  idioms 
in  a  continual  fluctuation  somewhat  similar  to  that  which 
the  rude  dialects  of  the  savage  peoples  of  America  ex- 
perienced, makes  their  study  useless  to  etymology  and 
can  only  throw  uncertain  and  nearly  always  false  lights 
in  the  mind. 

One  must  seek  the  origin  of  speech  only  from  authen- 
tic monuments,  whereon  speech  itself  has  left  its  inefface- 
able imprint.  If  time  and  the  scythe  of  revolutions  had 
respected  more  the  books  of  Zoroaster,  I  doubtless  might 
have  compared  with  the  Hebrew,  the  ancient  tongue  of  the 
Parsees,  called  Zend,  in  which  are  written  the  fragments 

13  Traduct.  franc,  des  Recher.  Asiat.  T.  II.  P.  49.  Notes. 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  11 

which  have  come  down  to  us;  but  after  a  long  and  im- 
partial examination,  I  cannot  refrain  from  believing,  not- 
withstanding all  the  recognition  that  I  feel  for  the  extra- 
ordinary labours  of  Anquetil-Duperron  who  has  procur- 
ed them  for  us,  that  the  book  called  today,  the  Zend- 
Avesta,  by  the  Parsees,  is  only  a  sort  of  breviary,  a 
compilation  of  prayers  and  litanies  wherein  are  mingled 
here  and  there  certain  fragments  from  the  sacred  books  of 
Zeradosht,  the  ancient  Zoroaster,  translated  in  the  living 
tongue;  for  this  is  precisely  what  the  word  Zend  signi- 
fies— living  tongue.  The  primitive  Avesta  was  divided  into 
twenty-one  parts,  called  Nosk,  and  entered  into  all  the 
details  of  nature,14  as  do  the  Vedas  and  Pouranas  of  the 
Hindus,  with  which  it  had  perhaps  more  affinity  than  one 
imagines.  The  Boun-Dehesh,  which  Anquetil-Duperron  has 
translated  from  the  Pchlcci,  a  sort  of  dialect  more  modern 
still  than  the  Zend,  appears  to  be  only  an  abridgment 
of  that  part  of  the  Avesta  which  treated  particularly  of 
the  origin  of  Beings  and  the  birth  of  the  Universe. 

Sir  William  Jones,  who  believes  as  I  do  that  the  orig- 
inal books  of  Zoroaster  were  lost,  thinks  that  the  Zend, 
in  which  are  written  the  fragments  that  we.  possess,  is  a 
dialect  of  Sanskrit,  in  which  Pehlevi,  derived  from  the 
Chaldaic  and  from  the  Cimmerian  Tatars,  has  mingled 
many  of  its  expressions.15  This  opinion,  quite  com  form- 
able  with  that  of  the  learned  d'Herbelot  who  carries  the 
Zend  and  Pehlevi  back  to  Nabatsean  Chaldaic,16  that  is, 
to  the  most  ancient  tongue  of  Assyria,  is  therefore  most 
probable  since  the  characters  of  Pehlevi  and  Zend  are 
obviously  of  Chaldaic  origin. 

I  do  not  doubt  that  the  famous  inscriptions  which  are 
found  in  the  ruins  of  ancient  Isthakr,17  named  Persepolis 
by  the  Greeks,  and  of  which  no  savant,  up  to  this  time, 

14  Zend-Avesta.  T.  I.  part  II.  p.  46. 

ir>  Asiat.  Research,  T.  II.  p.  52  et  suiv. 

16  Bibl.   ori.   p.   514. 

IT  Millin:   Monumens  inedits. 


12  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

has  been  able  to  decipher  the  characters,  belong  to  the 
tongue  in  which  the  sacred  books  of  the  Parsees  were 
originally  written  before  they  had  been  abridged  and 
translated  in  Pehlevi  and  Zend.  This  tongue,  whose  very 
name  has  disappeared,  was  perhaps  spoken  at  the  court 
of  those  monarchs  of  Iran,  whom  Mohsenal-Fany  men- 
tions in  a  very  curious  book  entitled  Dabistan*  and 
whom  he  assures  had  preceded  the  dynasty  of  the  Pish- 
dadians,  which  is  ordinarily  regarded  as  the  earliest. 

But  without  continuing  further  upon  this  digression, 
I  believe  I  have  made  it  sufficiently  understood  that  the 
study  of  Zend  cannot  be  of  the  same  interest,  nor  produce 
the  same  results  as  that  of  Chinese,  Sanskrit  or  Hebrew, 
since  it  is  only  a  dialect  of  Sanskrit  and  can  only  offer 
sundry  fragments  of  the  sacred  literature  translated  from 
an  unknown  tongue  more  ancient  than  itself.  It  is  enough 
to  make  it  enter  as  a  sort  of  supplement  in  the  research  of 
the  origin  of  speech,  considering  it  as  a  link  which  binds 
Sanskrit  to  Hebrew. 

It  is  the  same  with  the  Scandinavian  idiom,  and  the 
Runic  poetry  preserved  in  the  Edda.18  These  venerable 
relics  of  the  sacred  literature  of  the  Celts,  our  ancestors, 
ought  to  be  regarded  as  a  medium  between  the  tongues 
of  ancient  Asia  and  that  of  modern  Europe.  They  are  not 
to  be  disdained  as  an  auxiliary  study,  the  more  so  since 
they  are  all  that  remains  to  us  really  authentic  pertaining 
to  the  cult  of  the  ancient  Druids,  and  as  the  other  Celtic 
dialects,  such  as  Basque,  Armoric  Breton,  Welsh  Breton 
or  Cymraeg,  possessing  no  writings,  can  merit  no  sort  of 
confidence  in  the  important  subject  with  which  we  are 
engaged. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  three  tongues  whose  study 
I  recommend:  Chinese,  Sanskrit  and  Hebrew;  let  us 

*  This  work  which  treats  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  Per- 
sia, is  not  known  except  for  a  single  extract  inserted  in  the  New 
Asiatic  Miscellany,  published  by  Gladwin,  at  Calcutta,  1789. 

is  Edda  Islandonim  Haoniae,  1665,  in-4.° 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  13 

glance  at  them  without  concerning  ourselves  for  the 
present,  with  their  grammatical  forms;  let  us  fathom 
their  genius  and  see  in  what  manner  they  principally 
differ. 

The  Chinese  tongue  is,  of  all  the  living  tongues  today, 
the  most  ancient ;  the  one  whose  elements  are  the  simplest 
and  the  most  homogeneous.  Born  in  the  midst  of  certain 
rude  men,  separated  from  other  men  by  the  result  of  a 
physical  catastrophe  which  had  happened  to  the  globe,  it 
was  at  first  confined  to  the  narrowest  limits,  yielding 
only  scarce  and  material  roots  and  not  rising  above  the 
simplest  perceptions  of  the  senses.  Wholly  physical  in  its 
origin,  it  recalled  to  the  memory  only  physical  objects: 
about  two  hundred  words  composed  its  entire  lexicon,  and 
these  words  reduced  again  to  the  most  restricted  significa- 
tion were  all  attached  to  local  and  particular  ideas. 
Nature,  in  thus  isolating  it  from  all  tongues,  defended  it 
for  a  long  time  from  mixture,  anol  when  the  men  who 
spoke  it,  multiplied,  spread  abroad  and  commingled  with 
other  men,  art  came  to  its  aid  and  covered  it  with  an  im- 
penetrable defense.  By  this  defense,  I  mean  the  symbolic 
characters  whose  origin  a  sacred  tradition  attributes  to 
Fo-Hi.  This  holy  man,  says  the  tradition,  having  examined 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  pondered  much  upon  the 
nature  of  intermediate  things,  traced  the  eight  Koua,  the 
various  combinations  of  which  sufficed  to  express  all  the 
ideas  then  developed  in  the  intelligence  of  the  people.  By 
means  of  this  invention,  the  use  of  knots  in  cords,  which 
had  been  the  custom  up  to  that  time,  ceased.* 

Nevertheless,  in  proportion  as  the  Chinese  people  ex- 
tended, in  proportion  as  their  intelligence  made  progress 
and  became  enriched  with  new  ideas,  their  tongue  fol- 
lowed these  different  developments.  The  number  of  its 
words  fixed  by  the  symbolic  Koua,  being  unable  to  be 
augmented,  was  modified  by  the  accent.  From  being  par- 

*  This  tradition  is  drawn  from  the  great  history  Tsee-tchi-Kien- 
Kang-Mou,  which  the  Emperor  Kang-hi  ordered  translated  into  Tataric 
and  embellished  with  a  preface. 


14  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

ticular  they  became  generic ;  from  the  rank  of  nouns  they 
were  raised  to  that  of  verbs;  the  substance  was  distin- 
guished from  the  spirit.  At  that  time  was  felt  the  neces- 
sity for  inventing  new  symbolic  characters,  which,  uniting 
easily,  the  one  with  the  other,  could  follow  the  flight  of 
thought  and  lend  themselves  to  all  the  movements  of  the 
imagination.19  This  step  taken,  nothing  further  arrested 
the  course  of  this  indigenous  idiom,  which,  without  ever 
varying  its  elements,  without  admitting  anything  foreign 
in  its  form,  has  sufficed  during  an  incalculable  succession 
of  ages  for  the  needs  of  an  immense  nation;  which  has 
given  it  sacred  books  that  no  revolution  has  been  able  to 
destroy,  and  has  been  enriched  with  all  the  profoundness, 
brilliancy  and  purity  that  moral  and  metaphysical  genius 
can  produce. 

Such  is  this  tongue,  which,  defended  by  its  symbolic 
forms,  inaccessible  to  all  neighbouring  idioms,  has  seen 
them  expiring  around  it,  in  the  same  manner  that  a  vig- 
orous tree  sees  a  host  of  frail  plants,  which  its  shade  de- 
prives of  the  generating  heat  of  day,  wither  at  its  feet. 

Sanskrit  did  not  have  its  origin  in  India.  If  it  is 
allowable  for  me  to  express  my  thought  without  promis- 
ing to  prove  it,  since  this  would  be  neither  the  time  nor 
the  place;  I  believe  that  a  people  much  older  than  the 
Hindus,  inhabiting  another  region  of  the  earth,  came  in 
very  remote  times  to  be  established  in  Bharat-Wcrsh,  to- 
day Hindustan,  and  brought  there  a  celebrated  idiom  call- 
ed Bali  or  Pali,  many  indications  of  which  are  found  in 
Singhala,  of  the  island  of  Ceylon,  in  the  kingdoms  of 
Siam,  of  Pegu,  and  in  all  that  part  which  is  called  the  em- 
pire of  the  Burmans.  Everywhere  was  this  tongue  consider- 
ed sacred.20  Sir  William  Jones,  whose  opinion  is  the  same 
as  mine  relative  to  the  exotic  origin  of  Sanskrit,  without 
however  giving  the  Pali  tongue  as  its  primitive  source, 

19  Mtm.  concer.  les  Chinois.    T.  I.  p.  273  et  suiv.  Ibid.  T.  VIII.  p  133 
et  suiv.  Mem.  de  VAcad.  des  Inscrip.  T.  XXXIV.  in-4.  p.  25. 

20  Descript.  de  Siam.  T.  I.  p.  25.  Asia*.  Resear.  T.  VI.  p.  307. 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  15 

shows  that  the  pure  Hindi,  originating  in  Tatary,  rude 
jargon  of  the  epoch  of  that  colonization,  has  received  from 
some  sort  of  foreign  tongue  its  grammatical  forms,  and 
finding  itself  in  a  convenient  position  to  be,  as  it  were, 
grafted  by  it,  has  developed  a  force  of  expression,  harmo- 
nious and  copious,  of  which  all  the  Europeans  who  have 
been  able  to  understand  it  speak  with  admiration.21 

In  truth,  what  other  tongue  ever  possessed  a  sacred 
literature  more  widespread?  How  many  years  shall  yet 
pass  ere  Europeans,  developed  from  their  false  notions, 
will  have  exhausted  the  prolific  mine  which  it  offers! 

Sanskrit,  in  the  opinion  of  all  the  English  writers 
who  have  studied  it,  is  the  most  perfect  tongue  that  men 
have  ever  spoken.22  It  surpasses  Greek  and  Latin  in  reg- 
ularity as  in  richness,  and  Persian  and  Arabic  in  poetic 
conceptions.  With  our  European  tongues  it  preserves  a 
striking  analogy  that  holds  chiefly  to  the  form  of  its 
characters,  which  being  traced  from  left  to  right  have 
served,  according  to  Sir  William  Jones,  as  type  or  proto- 
type of  all  those  which  have  been  and  which  still  are  in 
use  in  Africa  and  in  Europe. 

Let  us  now  pass  on  to  the  Hebraic  tongue.  So  many 
abstract  fancies  have  been  uttered  concerning  this  tongue, 
and  the  systematic  or  religious  prejudice  which  has  guid- 
ed the  pen  of  its  historians,  has  so  obscured  its  origin, 
that  I  scarcely  dare  to  say  what  it  is,  so  simple  is  what 
I  have  to  say.  This  simplicity  will,  nevertheless,  have  its 
merit;  for  if  I  do  not  exalt  it  to  the  point  of  saying  with 
the  rabbis  of  the  synagogue  or  the  doctors  of  the  Church, 
that  it  has  presided  at  the  birth  of  the  world,  that  angels 
and  men  have  learned  it  from  the  mouth  of  God  Himself, 
and  that  this  celestial  tongue  returning  to  its  source,  will 
become  that  which  will  be  spoken  by  the  blessed  in  heav- 
en ;  neither  shall  I  say  with  the  modern  philosophists,  that 

21  Ibid.  T.  I.  p.  307. 

22  Wilkin's  Notes  on  the  Hitopadcsa.  p.  294.  Halhed,  dans  la  preface 
de  la  Gramm.  du  Bengale,  ct  dans  le  Code  dcs  lois  des  Oentoux. 


1C  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

it  is  a  wretched  jargon  of  a  horde  of  malicious,  opinion- 
ated, suspicious,  avaricious  and  turbulent  men ;  I  shall 
say  without  any  partiality,  that  the  Hebrew  contained  in 
the  Sepher,  is  the  pure  idiom  of  the  ancient  Egyptians. 

This  truth  will  not  please  those  prejudiced  pro  or  con, 
I  am  certain  of  this;  but  it  is  no  fault  of  mine  if  the 
truth  so  rarely  flatters  their  passions. 

No,  the  Hebraic  tongue  is  neither  the  first  nor  the 
last  of  the  tongues;  it  is  not  the  only  one  of  the  mother- 
tongues,  as  a  modern  theosophist,  whom  I  esteem  greatly 
otherwise,  has  inopportunely  believed,  because  it  is  not 
the  only  one  that  has  sprung  from  the  divine  wonders;23 
it  is  the  tongue  of  a  powerful,  wise  and  religious  people; 
of  a  thoughtful  people,  profoundly  learned  in  moral  sci- 
ences and  friend  of  the  mysteries;  of  a  people  whose 
wisdom  and  laws  have  been  justly  admired.  This  tongue 
separated  from  its  original  stem,  estranged  from  its  cradle 
by  the  effect  of  a  providential  emigration,  an  account  of 
which  is  needless  at  the  moment,  became  the  particular 
idiom  of  the  Hebrew  people ;  and  like  a  productive  branch, 
which  a  skillful  agriculturist  has  transplanted  in  ground 
prepared  for  this  purpose,  so  that  it  will  bear  fruit  long 
after  the  worn  out  trunk  whence  it  comes  has  disappeared, 
so  has  this  idiom  preserved  and  brought  down  to  us  the 
precious  storehouse  of  Egyptian  learning. 

But  this  storehouse  has  not  been  trusted  to  the  cap- 
rice of  hazard.  Providence,  who  willed  its  preservation, 
has  known  well  how  to  shelter  it  from  storms.  The  book 
which  contains  it,  covered  with  a  triple  veil,  has  crossed 
the  torrent  of  ages  respected  by  its  possessors,  braving 
the  attention  of  the  profane,  and  never  being  understood 
except  by  those  who  would  not  divulge  its  mysteries. 

With  this  statement  let  us  retrace  our  steps.  I  have 
said  that  the  Chinese,  isolated  from  their  birth,  having 
departed  from  the  simplest  perceptions  of  the  senses,  had 
reached  by  development  the  loftiest  conceptions  of  intel- 

23  St-Martin:   Esprit  des  cTioses,  T.  II.  p.  213. 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  17 

ligonce;  it  was  quite  the  contrary  with  the  Hebrew:  this 
distinct  idiom,  entirely  formed  from  a  most  highly  perfect- 
ed tongue,  composed  wholly  of  expressions  universal,  intel- 
ligible and  abstract,  delivered  in  this  state  to  a  sturdy 
but  ignorant  people,  had,  in  its  hands  fallen  from  degen- 
eracy to  degeneracy,  and  from  restriction  to  restriction, 
to  its  most  material  elements;  all  that  was  intelligible  had 
become  sentient ;  all  that  was  universal  had  become  parti- 
cular. 

Sanskrit,  holding  a  sort  of  mean  between  the  two, 
since  it  was  the  result  of  a  formed  tongue,  grafted  upon 
an  unformed  idiom,  unfolded  itself  at  first  with  admirable 
promptness:  but  after  having,  like  the  Chinese  and  the 
Hebrew,  given  its  divine  fruits,  it  has  been  unable  to  re- 
press the  luxury  of  its  productions:  its  astonishing  flex- 
ibility has  become  the  source  of  an  excess  which  neces- 
sarily has  brought  about  its  downfall.  The  Hindu  writers, 
abusing  the  facility  which  they  had  of  composing  words, 
have  made  them  of  an  excessive  length,  not  only  of  ten, 
fifteen  and  twenty  syllables,  but  they  have  pushed  the 
extravagance  to  the  point  of  containing  in  simple  inscrip- 
tions, terms  which  extend  to  one  hundred  and  even  one 
hundred  and  fifty. 24  Their  vagabond  imagination  has 
followed  the  intemperance  of  their  elocution;  an  im- 
penetrable obscurity  has  spread  itself  over  their  writ- 
ings; their  tongue  has  disappeared. 

But  this  tongue  displays  in  the  Ycdas  an  economical 
richness.  It  is  there  that  one  can  examine  its  native  flex- 
ibility and  compare  it  with  the  rigidity  of  the  Hebrew, 
which  beyond  the  amalgamation  of  root  and  sign,  does  not 
admit  of  any  composition :  or,  compare  it  with  the  facility 
with  which  the  Chinese  allows  its  words,  all  monosyl- 
lables, to  be  joined  without  ever  being  confused.  The  prin- 
cipal beauties  of  this  last  idiom  consist  in  its  characters, 
the  symbolic  combination  of  which  offers  a  tableau  more 
or  less  perfect,  according  to  the  talent  of  the  writer.  It 

24  Asiat.  Research.  T.  I.  p.  279,  357,  366,  etc. 


18  THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  KESTOKED 

can  be  said  without  metaphor,  that  they  paint  pictures  in 
their  discourse. 25  The  written  tongue  differs  essentially 
from  the  spoken  tongue.-6  The  effect  of  the  latter  is  very 
mediocre,  and  as  it  were,  of  no  importance;  whereas,  the 
former,  carries  the  reader  along  presenting  him  with  a 
series  of  sublime  pictures.  Sanskrit  characters  say  nothing 
to  the  imagination,  the  eye  can  run  through  them  without 
giving  the  least  attention;  it  is  to  the  happy  composition 
of  its  words,  to  their  harmony,  to  the  choice  and  to  the 
blending  of  ideas  that  this  idiom  owes  its  eloquence.  The 
greatest  effect  of  Chinese  is  for  the  eyes ;  that  of  Sanskrit, 
for  the  ears.  The  Hebrew  unites  the  two  advantages  but 
in  a  less  proportion.  Sprung  from  Egypt  where  both  hiero- 
glyphic and  literal  characters  were  used  at  the  same 
time, 27  it  offers  a  symbolic  image  in  each  of  its  words,  al- 
though its  sentence  conserves  in  its  ensemble  all  the  elo- 
quence of  the  spoken  tongue.  This  is  the  double  faculty 
which  has  procured  for  it  so  much  eulogy  on  the  part  of 
those  who  felt  it  and  so  much  sarcasm  on  the  part  of  those 
who  have  not. 

Chinese  characters  are  written  from  top  to  bottom, 
one  under  the  other,  ranging  the  columns  from  right  to 
left;  those  of  Sanskrit,  following  the  direction  of  a  hori- 
zontal line,  going  from  left  to  right;  Hebraic  characters, 
on  the  contrary,  proceed  from  right  to  left.  It  appears 
that  in  the  arrangement  of  the  symbolic  characters,  the 
genius  of  the  Chinese  tongue  recalls  their  origin,  and 
makes  them  still  descend  from  heaven  as,  it  was  said, 
their  first  inventor  had  done.  Sanskrit  and  Hebrew,  in 
tracing  their  lines  in  an  opposite  way,  also  make  allusion 
to  the  manner  in  which  their  literal  characters  were  in- 
vented ;  for,  as  Leibnitz  very  well  asserted,  everything  has 
its  sufficient  reason ;  but  as  this  usage  pertains  especially 
to  the  history  of  peoples,  this  is  not  the  place  to  enter  in- 

25  Mem.  concern,  les  CMnois.  T.  I. 

20  Ibid.  T.  VIII.  p.  133  &  185. 

2T  Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  L.  V.  Herodot.  L.  II.  36. 


ORIGIN  OF  SPEECH  19 

to  the  discussion  that  its  examination  would  involve. 
I  shall  only  observe  that  the  method  which  the  Hebrew 
follows  was  that  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  as  related 
by  Herodotus.28  The  Greeks,  who  received  their  letters 
from  the  Phoenicians,  wrote  also  for  some  time  from 
right  to  left;  their  origin,  wholly  different,  made 
them  soon  modify  this  course.  At  first  they  traced 
their  lines  in  forms  of  furrows,  going  from  right  to 
left  and  returning  alternately  from  left  to  right ;  ** 
afterward,  they  fixed  upon  the  sole  method  that  we 
have  to-day,  which  is  that  of  Sanskrit,  with  which  the 
European  tongues  have,  as  I  have  already  said,  much 
analogy.  These  three  styles  of  writing  merit  careful  con- 
sideration, as  much  in  the  three  typical  tongues  as  in  the 
derivative  tongues  which  are  directly  or  indirectly  attach- 
ed to  them.  I  conclude  here  this  parallelism:  to  push  it 
further  would  be  useless,  so  much  the  more  as,  not  being 
able  to  lay  before  the  reader  at  once  the  grammatical 
forms  of  Chinese,  Sanskrit  and  Hebrew,  I  should  run  the 
risk  of  not  being  understood. 

If  I  had  felt  sure  of  having  the  time  and  the  assist- 
ance necessary,  I  should  not  have  hesitated  to  take  first 
the  Chinese,  for  basis  of  my  work,  waiting  until  later  to 
pass  on  from  Sanskrit  to  Hebrew,  upholding  my  method 
by  an  original  translation  of  the  King,  the  Veda  and  the 
Sepher;  but  being  almost  certain  of  the  contrary,  I  have 
decided  to  begin  with  the  Hebrew  because  it  offers  an  in- 
terest more  direct,  more  general,  more  within  the  grasp 
of  my  readers  and  promises  besides,  results  of  an  early 
usefulness.  I  trust  that  if  the  circumstances  do  not  per- 
mit me  to  realize  my  idea  in  regard  to  Sanskrit  and  Chin- 

28  Herodot.     Ibid. 

20  Mtm.  de  I'Acnd.  des  Inscript.  T.  XXXIX.  in-12  p.  129.     Court-de- 
GSbelin,  Orig.  du  Lang.  p.  471. 


20  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

ese,  that  there  will  be  found  men  sufficiently  courageous, 
sufficiently  obedient  to  the  impulse  which  Providence  gives 
toward  the  perfecting  of  the  sciences  and  the  welfare  of 
humanity,  to  undertake  this  laborious  work  and  terminate 
what  I  have  commenced. 


§  II. 

HEBRAIC  TONGUE:  AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE 

SEPHER  OF  MOSES;  VICISSITUDES 

EXPERIENCED  BY  THIS  BOOK. 

In  choosing  the  Hebraic  tongue,  I  have  not  been 
ignorant  of  an}'  of  the  difficulties,  nor  any  of  the  dangers 
awaiting  me.  Some  knowledge  of  speech,  and  of  ton- 
gues in  general,  and  the  unusual  course  that  I  had  given 
to  my  studies,  had  convinced  me  long  since  that  the  Heb- 
raic tongue  was  lost,  and  that  the  Bible  which  we  possess 
was  far  from  being  the  exact  translation  of  the  Sepher 
of  Moses.  Having  attained  this  original  Sepher  by 
other  paths  than  that  of  the  Greeks  and  Latins,  and 
carried  along  from  the  Orient  to  the  Occident  of  Asia  by 
an  impulse  contrary  to  the  one  ordinarily  followed  in  the 
exploration  of  tongues,  I  saw  plainly  that  the  greater 
part  of  the  vulgar  interpretations  were  false,  and  that, 
in  order  to  restore  the  tongue  of  Moses  in  its  primitive 
grammar,  it  would  be  necessary  to  clash  violently  with 
the  sc'entific  or  religious  prejudices  that  custom,  pride,  in- 
terest, the  rust  of  ages  and  the  respect  which  it  attached 
to  ancient  errors,  concurred  in  consecrating,  strengthen- 
ing and  preserving. 

But  if  one  had  to  listen  always  to  these  pusillanim- 
ous considerations,  what  things  would  ever  be  perfected? 
Has  man  in  his  adolescence  the  same  needs  that  he  has  in 
his  infancy?  Does  he  not  change  his  apparel  as  well  as 
his  nourishment?  Are  not  the  lessons  of  manhood  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  youth?  Do  not  the  savage  nations 
advance  toward  civilization  and  those  which  are  civilized 
toward  the  acquisition  of  sciences?  Does  not  one  see  the 
cave  of  the  troglodyte  make  way  for  the  lodge  of  the  hun- 

21 


22  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

ter,  the  tent  of  the  herdsman,  the  hut  of  the  agriculturist, 
and  this  cabin  transformed  successively,  thanks  to  the 
progressive  development  of  commerce  and  the  arts,  into 
a  commodious  house,  castle,  magnificent  palace  or  sump- 
tuous temple?  This  superb  city  that  we  inhabit  and  this 
Louvre  which  spreads  before  our  eyes  such  rich  architec- 
ture, do  not  these  all  repose  upon  the  same  soil  where  a 
few  miserable  hovels  of  fishermen  stood  not  long  ago? 

Be  not  deceived :  there  are  moments  indicated  by 
Providence,  when  the  impulse  that  it  gives  toward  new 
ideas,  undermining  precedents  useful  in  their  beginning  but 
now  superfluous,  forces  them  to  yield,  even  as  a  skillful 
architect  clears  away  the  rough  framework  which  has 
supported  the  arches  of  his  edifice.  It  would  be  just  as 
foolish  or  culpable  to  attack  these  precedents  or  to  dis- 
turb this  framework,  when  they  still  support  either  the 
social  edifice  or  the  particular  one,  and  proceeding,  un- 
der pretext  of  their  rusticity,  their  ungracefulness,  their 
necessary  obstruction,  to  overthrow  them  as  out  of  place; 
as  it  would  be  ridiculous  or  timid  to  leave  them  all  there 
by  reason  of  a  foolish  or  superannuated  respect,  or  a 
superstitious  and  condemnatory  weakness,  since  they  are 
of  no  further  use,  since  they  encumber,  since  they  are  an 
obstruction,  since  they  detract  from  the  wisest  institu- 
tions or  the  noblest  and  loftiest  structures.  Undoubtedly, 
in  the  first  instance,  and  following  my  comparison,  either 
the  prince  or  the  architect  should  stop  the  audacious  ig- 
noramus and  prevent  him  from  being  buried  beneath  the 
inevitable  ruins:  but  in  the  second  instance,  they  should, 
on  the  contrary,  welcome  the  intrepid  man  who,  present- 
ing himself  with  either  torch  or  lever  in  hand,  offers  them, 
notwithstanding  certain  perils,  a  service  always  difficult. 

Had  I  lived  a  century  or  two  earlier,  even  if  fortunate 
circumstances  assisted  by  steadfast  labour  had  placed  the 
same  truths  within  my  grasp,  I  would  have  kept  silent 
about  them,  as  many  savants  of  all  nations  have  been  ob- 
liged to  do;  but  the  times  are  changed.  I  see  in  looking 


AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SEPHER  23 

about  me  that  Providence  is  opening  the  portals  of  a  New 
Day.  On  all  sides,  institutions  are  putting  themselves 
in  harmony  with  the  enlightenment  of  the  century.  I 
have  not  hesitated.  Whatever  may  be  the  success  of  my 
efforts,  their  aim  has  been  the  welfare  of  humanity  and 
this  inner  consciousness  is  sufficient  for  me. 

I  am  about  therefore,  to  restore  the  Hebraic  tongue 
in  its  original  principles  and  show  the  rectitude  and  force 
of  these  principles,  giving  by  their  means  a  new  transla- 
tion of  that  part  of  the  Sepher  which  contains  the  Cos- 
mogony of  Moses.  I  feel  myself  bound  to  fulfill  this  double 
task  by  the  very  choice  that  I  have  made,  the  motives  of 
which  it  is  'useless  to  explain  further.  But  it  is  well, 
perhaps,  before  entering  into  the  details  of  the  Grammar, 
and  of  the  numerous  notes  preceding  my  translation 
which  prepare  and  sustain  it,  that  I  reveal  here  the  true 
conditions  of  things,  so  as  to  fortify  upright  minds 
against  the  wrong  direction  that  might  be  given  them, 
showing  the  exact  point  of  the  question  to  exploring 
minds,  and  make  it  clearly  understood  to  those  whose  in- 
terests or  prejudices,  of  whatever  sort,  might  lead  them 
astray,  that  I  shall  set  at  naught  all  criticism  which  may 
come  from  the  limits  of  science,  whether  supported  by 
delusory  opinions  or  authorities,  and  that  I  shall  recog- 
nize only  the  worthy  champion  who  shall  present  himself 
upon  the  field  of  truth,  armed  with  truth. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Fathers  of  the  Church  have 
believed,  until  Saint  Jerome,  that  the  Hellenistic  version 
called  the  Scptuagmt,  was  a  divine  work  written  by  pro- 
phets rather  than  by  simple  translators,  often  even  un- 
aware, from  what  Saint  Augustine  says,  that  another 
original  existed;  *°  but  it  is  also  known  that  Saint  Jerome, 
judging  this  version  corrupt  in  innumerable  passages,  and 
by  no  means  exact, 31  substituted  a  Latin  version  for  it 

30  Walton.  Proleg.  IX.  Rich.  Simon,  Hist.  crit.  L.  II.  ch.  2.  August. 
L.  III.  c.  25. 

31  Hieron.  in  qua'St.  heir.  Rich.  Simon.  Ibid.  L.  II.  ch.  3. 


24  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

that  was  considered  the  only  authentic  one  by  the  Council 
of  Trent,  and  in  defense  of  which  the  Inquisition  has  not 
feared  to  kindle  the  flames  of  the  stake. 3-  Thus  the 
Fathers  have  contradicted  beforehand  the  decision  of  the 
Council,  and  the  decision  of  the  Council  has,  in  its  turn, 
condemned  the  opinion  of  the  Fathers;  so  that  one  could 
not  find  Luther  entirely  wrong,  when  he  said  that  the 
Hellenistic  interpreters  had  not  an  exact  knowledge  of 
Hebrew,  and  that  their  version  was  as  void  of  meaning  as 
of  harmony, 33  since  he  followed  the  sentiment  of  Saint 
Jerome,  sanctioned  in  some  degree  by  the  Council;  nor 
even  blame  Calvin  and  the  other  wise  reformers  for  hav- 
ing doubted  the  authenticity  of  the  Vulgate,  notwith- 
standing the  infallible  decision  of  the  Council, 34  since 
Saint  Augustine  had  indeed  condemned  this  work  accord- 
ing to  the  idea  that  every  Church  had  formed  in  his  time. 
It  is  therefore,  neither  the  authority  of  the  Fathers, 
nor  that  of  the  Councils  that  can  be  used  against  me;  for 
the  one  destroying  the  other,  they  remain  ineffectual.  It 
will  be  necessary  to  demonstrate  by  a  complete  and  per- 
fect knowledge  of  Hebrew,  and  not  by  Greek  and  Latin 
citations  to  which  I  take  exception,  but  by  interpreta- 
tions founded  upon  better  principles  than  mine,  to  prove 
to  me  that  I  have  misunderstood  this  tongue,  and  that 
the  bases  upon  which  I  place  my  grammatical  edifice  are 
false.  One  clearly  realizes,  at  this  time  in  which  we  are 
living,  that  it  is  only  with  such  arguments  one  can  ex- 
pect to  convince  me.* 

32  Mariana:  pr.  Edit.  vulg.  c.  I. 

33  Luther  sympos.  Cap.  de  Linguis. 

34  Fuller,  in  miscell.  Causabon.  adv.  Baron. 

*  The  Fathers  of  the  Church  can  unquestionably  be  quoted  like 
other  writers,  but  it  is  upon  things  de  facto,  and  in  accordance  with 
the  rules  of  criticism.  When  it  is  a  question  of  saying  that  they  have 
believed  that  the  translation  of  the  Septuagint  was  a  work  inspired 
of  God,  to  quote  them  in  such  case  is  unobjectionable;  but  if  one  pre- 
tends thus  to  prove  it,  the  quotation  is  ridiculous.  It  is  necessary, 
before  engaging  in  a  critical  discussion,  to  study  the  excellent  rules 


AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SEPHER  25 

But  if  honest  minds  are  astonished  that  after  more 
than  twenty  centuries,  I  alone  have  been  able  to  penetrate 
the  genius  of  the  tongue  of  Moses,  and  understand  the 
writings  of  this  extraordinary  man,  I  shall  reply  frankly 
that  I  do  not  believe  that  it  is  so;  I  think,  on  the  con- 
trary, that  many  men  have,  at  different  times  and  among 
different  peoples,  possessed  the  understanding  of  the 
Sepher  in  the  way  that  I  possess  it ;  but  some  have  pru- 
dently concealed  this  knowledge  whose  divulgence  would 
have  been  dangerous  at  that  time,  while  others  have  en- 
veloped it  with  veils  so  thick  as  to  be  attacked  with  dif- 
ficulty. But  if  this  explanation  will  not  be  accepted,  I 
would  invoke  the  testimony  of  a  wise  and  painstaking 
man,  who,  being  called  upon  to  reply  to  a  similar  objec- 
tion explained  thus  his  thought :  "It  is  very  possible  that 
a  man,  secluded  in  the  confines  of  the  Occident  and  liv- 
ing in  the  nineteenth  century  after  Christ,  understands 
better  the  books  of  Moses,  those  of  Orpheus,  and  the  frag- 
ments which  remain  to  us  of  the  Etruscans,  than  did  the 
Egyptian,  Greek  and  Roman  interpreters  of  the  age  of 
Pericles  and  Augustus.  The  degree  of  intelligence  re- 
quired to  understand  the  ancient  tongues  is  independent 
of  the  mechanism  and  the  material  of  those  tongues.  It 
is  not  only  a  question  of  grasping  the  meaning  of  the 
words,  it  is  also  necessary  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the 
ideas.  Often  words  offer  in  their  vulgar  relation  a  mean- 
ing wholly  opposed  to  the  spirit  that  has  presided  at  their 
rapprochement. . .  ."  35 

I  have  said  that  I  consider  the  Hebraic  idiom  con- 
tained in  the  Sepher,  as  a  transplanted  branch  of  the 
Egyptian  tongue.  This  is  an  assertion  the  historic  proof 
of  which  I  cannot  give  at  this  moment,  because  it  would 
draw  me  into  details  too  foreign  to  my  subject;  but  it 
seems  to  me  that  plain,  common  sense  should  be  enough 

laid  down  by  Fre"ret  the  most  judicious  critic  that  France  has  possessed. 
Voyez  Acad.  de  Belles-Let.  T.  VI.  Memoir,  p.  146.  T.  IV.  p.  411.  T.  XVIII. 
p.  49.  T.  XXI.  Hist.  p.  7. 

35  Court-de  GSbelln:  Mond.  primit.  T.  I,  p.  88. 


26  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

here:  for,  in  whatever  manner  the  Hebrews  may  have  es- 
caped, one  cannot  deny  that  they  made  a  long  sojourn  in 
Egypt.  Even  though  this  sojourn  were  of  only  four  or 
five  centuries  duration  as  everyone  is  led  to  believe;*  I 
ask  in  all  good  faith,  whether  a  rude  tribe  deprived  of  all 
literature,  without  civil  or  religious  institutions  that 
might  hold  it  together,  could  not  assume  the  tongue  of 
the  country  in  which  it  lived;  a  tribe  which,  transported 
to  Babylon  for  only  seventy  years,  and  while  it  formed 
a  corps  of  the  nation,  ruled  by  its  particular  law,  sub- 
missive to  an  exclusive  cult,  was  unable  to  preserve  its 
maternal  tongue  and  bartered  it  for  the  Syriac-Aramrean, 
a  sort  of  Chaldaic  dialect;36  for  it  is  well  known  that 
Hebrew,  lost  from  this  epoch,  ceased  to  be  the  vulgar 
tongue  of  the  Jews. 

Therefore,  I  believe  that  one  cannot,  without  volun- 
tarily ignoring  the  evidence,  reject  so  natural  an  asser- 
tion and  refuse  to  admit  that  the  Hebrews  coming  out 
from  Egypt  after  a  sojourn  of  more  than  four  hundred 
years,  brought  the  tongue  with  them.  I  do  not  mean  by 
this  to  destroy  what  Dochart,  Grotius,  Huet,  Leclerc, 37 
and  other  erudite  moderns  have  advanced  concerning  the 
radical  identity  which  they  have  rightly  admitted  be- 
tween Hebrew  and  Phoenician;  for  I  know  that  this  last 
dialect  brought  into  Egypt  by  the  Shepherd  kings  became 
identified  with  the  ancient  Egyptian  long  before  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Hebrews  at  the  banks  of  the  Nile. 

Thus  the  Hebraic  idiom  ought  therefore  to  have  very 
close  relations  with  the  Phoenician,  Chaldaic,  Arabic  and 
all  those  sprung  from  the  same  source;  but  for  a  long 
time  cultivated  in  Egypt,  it  had  acquired  intellectual  de- 
velopments which,  prior  to  the  degeneracy  of  which  I 
have  spoken,  made  it  a  moral  tongue  wholly  different 

*  In  the  Second  Book  of  the  Sepher,  entitled  mcty  fl^W    WAleh- 
Shemoth  ch.  12  v.  40,  one  reads  that  this  sojourn  was  430  years. 

36  Walton  Proleg.  III.  Rich.  Simon:  Hist.  crit.  L.  II.  ch.  17. 

37  Bochart,  Chanaan  L.  II.  ch.  I.  Grotius:   Comm.  in  Genes,  c.  II. 
Huet:  Dtmonst.  Evan.  prop.  IV.  c.  3.  Leclerc:  Diss.  de  Ling.  hebr. 


AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SEPHER  27 

from  the  vulgar  Canaanitish  tongue.  Is  it  needful  to  say 
to  what  degree  of  perfection  Egypt  had  attained?  Who 
of  my  readers  does  not  know  the  stately  eulogies  given  it 
by  Bossuet,  when,  laying  aside  for  a  moment  his  theolog- 
ical partiality,  he  said,  that  the  noblest  works  and  the 
most  beautiful  art  of  this  country  consisted  in  moulding 
men ; 38  that  Greece  was  so  convinced  of  this  that  her 
greatest  men,  Homer,  Pythagoras,  Plato,  even  Lycurgus 
and  Solon,  those  two  great  legislators,  and  others  whom 
it  is  unnecessary  to  name,  went  there  to  acquire  wisdom. 

Now,  had  not  Moses  been  instructed  in  all  the  scien- 
ces of  the  Egyptians?  Had  he  not,  as  the  historian  of  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  insinuated, 39  begun  there  to  be 
"mighty  in  words  and  deeds?"  Think  you  that  the  dif- 
ference would  be  very  great,  if  the  sacred  books  of  the 
Egyptians,  having  survived  the  debris  of  their  empire, 
allowed  you  to  make  comparison  with  those  of  Moses? 
Simplicius  who,  up  to  a  certain  point  had  been  able  to 
make  this  comparison,  found  so  much  that  was  conform- 
able, *°  that  he  concluded  that  the  prophet  of  the  Hebrews 
had  walked  in  the  footsteps  of  the  ancient  Thoth. 

Certain  modern  savants  after  having  examined  the 
Sepher  in  incorrect  translations,  or  in  a  text  which  they 
were  incapable  of  understanding,  struck  with  certain  re- 
petitions, and  believing  they  detected  in  the  numbers 
taken  literally,  palpable  anachronisms,  have  imagined, 
now,  that  Moses  had  never  existed,  and  then,  that  he  had 
worked  upon  scattered  memoirs,  whose  fragments  he  him- 
self or  his  secretaries  had  clumsily  patched  together. 41 
It  has  also  been  said  that  Homer  was  an  imaginary  being; 
as  if  the  existence  of  the  Iliad  and  the  Odyssey,  these 
master-pieces  of  poetry,  did  not  attest  the  existence  of 

88  Bossuet:  Hist.  Univers.  III.  part.  §  3. 

39  Act.  VII.  v.  22. 

40  Simplic.     Comm.  phys.  ariftt.  L.  VIII  p.  268. 

41  Spinosa:    tract,  theol.  c.   9.   Hobbes:    Leviath.  Part.   Ill,  c.  33. 
Isaac  de  la  Peyrere:   Syst.  thcol.  Part.  I.  L.  IV.  c.  I.  Leclerc,  Bolin- 
broke,  Voltaire,  Boulanger,  Fr6ret,  etc. 


28  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

their  author!  He  must  have  little  poetic  instinct  and 
poor  understanding  of  the  arrangement  and  plan  of  an 
epic  work,  who  could  conceive  such  a  false  idea  of  man 
and  his  conceptions,  and  be  persuaded  that  a  book  like 
the  Sepher,  the  King  or  the  Veda  could  be  put  forward  as 
genuine,  be  raised  by  fraud  to  the  rank  of  divine  Writ- 
ings, and  be  compiled  with  the  same  heedlessness  that 
certain  authors  display  in  their  crude  libels. 

Undoubtedly  certain  notes,  certain  commentaries, 
certain  reflections  written  at  first  marginally,  have  slip- 
ped into  the  text  of  the  Sepher ;  Esdras  has  restored  badly 
some  of  the  mutilated  passages;  but  the  statue  of  the 
Pythian  Apollo  on  account  of  a  few  slight  breaks,  remains 
none  the  less  standing  as  the  master-piece  of  an  unrival- 
led sculptor  whose  unknown  name  is  a  matter  of  less  con- 
sequence. Not  recognizing  in  the  Sepher  the  stamp  of  a 
grand  man  shows  lack  of  knowledge;  not  wishing  that 
this  grand  man  be  called  Moses  shows  lack  of  criticism. 

It  is  certain  that  Moses  made  use  of  more  ancient 
books  and  perhaps  of  sacerdotal  memoirs,  as  has  been  sus- 
pected by  Leclerc,  Richard  Simon  and  the  author  of  Con- 
jectures upon  Genesis. 42  But  Moses  does  not  hide  it ;  he 
cites  in  two  or  three  passages  of  the  Sepher  the  title  of  the 
works  which  are  before  his  eyes:  the  book  of  the  Genera- 
tions of  Adam;43  the  book  of  the  Wars  of  the  Lord;44  the 
book  of  the  Sayings  of  the  Seers.  45  The  book  of  Jasher 
is  mentioned  in  Joshua.  4<J  The  compiling  of  old  memoirs 
the  causing  of  them  to  be  compiled  by  scribes  as  these 
writers  have  advanced,  or  indeed  the  abridging  them  as 
Origen  supposed,  is  very  far  from  that. 47  Moses  created 
in  copying :  this  is  what  a  real  genius  does.  Can  one  im- 

42  Leclerc,   in   Diss.   III.    de   script.   Pentateuch.    Richard    Simoa: 
Hist.  crit.  L.  I.  c.  7. 

43  Gen.  c.  5.  v.  1. 

«  Num.  c.  21.  v.  14. 

45  Chron.  II.  c.  33,  v.  19. 

46  Jos.   C.   10.   V.   13. 

«  Evist.  ad  Affric. 


AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SEPHER  29 

agine  that  the  sculptor  of  the  Pythian  Apollo  had  no 
models?  Can  one  imagine,  by  chance,  that  Homer  imitat- 
ed nothing?  The  opening  lines  of  the  Iliad  were 
copied  from  the  Demetreide  of  Orpheus.  The  history 
of  Helen  and  the  war  of  Troy  were  preserved  in  the 
sacerdotal  archives  of  Tyre  whence  this  poet  took  it. 
It  is  asserted  that  he  changed  it  to  such  an  extent,  that, 
of  the  simulacrum  of  the  Moon  he  made  a  woman,  and 
of  the  Eons,  or  celestial  Spirits  who  contended  for  its 
possession,  the  men  whom  he  called  Greeks  and  Trojans. 48 

Moses  had  delved  deeply  into  the  sanctuaries  of 
Egypt,  and  he  had  been  initiated  into  the  mysteries;  it  is 
easily  discovered  in  examining  the  form  of  his  Cosmo- 
gony. He  undoubtedly  possessed  a  great  number  of  hiero- 
glyphics which  he  explained  in  his  writings,  as  asserted 
by  Philo ; 49  his  genius  and  particular  inspiration  pro- 
duced the  rest.  He  made  use  of  the  Egyptian  tongue  in 
all  its  purity.*  This  tongue  had  at  this  time  attained  its 
highest  degree  of  perfection.  It  was  not  long  becoming 
deteriorated  in  the  hands  of  a  rude  tribe  left  to  their  own 
fate  in  the  deserts  of  Idumea.  It  was  a  giant  that  found 
itself  suddenly  among  a  troop  of  pygmies.  The  extraor- 
dinary movement  which  this  tongue  had  stamped  upon  its 
nation  could  not  last,  but  in  order  that  the  plans  of  Pro- 
vidence should  be  fulfilled  it  was  sufficient  that  the  sacred 
storehouse  in  the  Sepher  should  be  guarded  carefully. 

It  appears,  in  the  opinion  of  the  most  famous  rab- 
bis, 50  that  Moses  himself,  foreseeing  the  fate  to  which  his 

48  Beausobre,  Hist,  du  Manich.  T.  II.  p.  328. 

4»  De  vitA  Mos. 

*  I  shall  not  stop  to  contend  with  the  opinion  of  those  who  seem 
to  believe  that  the  Coptic  differs  not  in  the  least  from  the  ancient 
Egyptian;  for  can  one  imagine  such  an  opinion  as  serious?  One  might 
as  well  say  that  the  tongue  of  Boccaccio  and  Dante  is  the  same  aa 
that  of  Cicero  and  Vergil.  One  can  display  his  wit  in  upholding  such 
a  paradox;  but  he  could  prove  it  neither  by  criticism  nor  even  by 
common  sense. 

50  Moyse  de  Cotsi:  Pref.  au  grand  Livre  des  Command,  de  la  Loi. 
Aben-Esra,  Jesud  Mora,  etc. 


30     THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

book  must  be  submitted  and  the  false  interpretations  that 
must  be  given  it  in  the  course  of  time,  had  recourse  to  an 
oral  law  which  he  gave  by  word  of  mouth  to  reliable  men 
whose  fidelity  he  had  tested,  and  whom  he  charged  to 
transmit  it  in  the  secret  of  the  sanctuary  to  other  men 
who,  transmitting  it  in  their  turn  from  age  to  age  might 
insure  its  thus  reaching  the  remotest  posterity. 51  This 
oral  law  that  the  modern  Jews  are  confident  they  still 
possess,  is  named  Kabbala,*  from  a  Hebrew  word  which 
signifies,  that  which  is  received,  that  which  conies  from 
elsewhere,  that  which  is  passed  from  hand  to  hand,  etc. 
The  most  famous  books  that  they  possess,  such  as  those  of 
the  Zohar,  the  Bahir,  the  Medrashim,  the  two  Gemaras, 
which  compose  the  Talmud,  are  almost  entirely  kabbal- 
istic. 

It  would  be  very  difficult  to  say  today  whether  Moses 
has  really  left  this  oral  law,  or  whether,  having  left  it,  it 
has  not  become  altered,  as  the  learned  Maimonides  seems 
to  insinuate  when  he  writes  that  his  nation  has  lost  the 
knowledge  of  innumerable  things,  without  which  it  is  al- 
most impossible  to  understand  the  Law. 52  Be  that  as  it 
may,  it  is  quite  possible  that  a  like  institution  might  have 
been  in  the  mind  of  the  Egyptians  whose  inclination  for 
the  mysteries  is  quite  well  known. 

Besides,  chronology,  cultivated  but  little  before  the 
conquest  of  Chosroes,  that  famous  Persian  monarch 
whom  we  call  Cyrus,  hardly  permits  fixing  the  epoch  of 
the  appearance  of  Moses.  It  is  only  by  approximation 
that  one  can  place,  about  fifteen  centuries  before  the 
Christian  era,  the  issue  of  the  Sepher.  After  the  death  of 
this  theocratic  lawgiver,  the  people  to  whom  he  had  con- 
fided this  sacred  storehouse,  remained  still  in  the  desert 
for  some  time  and  were  established  only  after  many 
struggles.  Their  wandering  life  influenced  their  lang- 

51  Boulanger:  Antiq.  dev.  L.  I.  c.  22. 
*bp 

52  Rambam.  More.  Nebuch.  Part.  I.  c.  21. 


AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SEPHER  31 

uage  which  degenerated  rapidly.  Their  character  became 
harsh;  their  spirit  was  roused.  They  turned  hands 
against  each  other.  One  of  the  twelve  tribes,  that  of  Ben- 
jamin, was  almost  wholly  destroyed.  Nevertheless,  the 
mission  that  this  people  had  to  fulfill  and  which  had  nec- 
essitated their  exclusive  laws,  alarmed  the  neighbouring 
peoples;  their  customs,  their  extraordinary  institutions, 
their  pride  irritated  them ;  they  became  the  object  of  their 
attacks.  In  less  than  four  centuries  they  wrere  subjected 
six  times  to  slavery,  and  six  times  they  were  delivered 
by  the  hand  of  Providence  who  willed  their  preservation. 
In  the  midst  of  these  terrible  catastrophes,  the  Sepher 
was  respected :  covered  with  a  providential  obscurity  it 
followed  the  vanquished,  escaped  the  victors,  and  for  a 
long  time  remained  unknown  to  its  possessors  themselves. 
Too  much  publicity  would  have  brought  about  its  loss. 
Whether  it  is  true  that  Moses  had  left  oral  instructions 
for  evading  the  corruption  of  the  text,  it  is  not  to  be 
doubted  that  he  did  not  take  all  possible  precaution  to 
guard  its  preservation.  It  can  therefore  be  regarded  as 
a  very  probable  thing  that  those  who  handed  down  in  sil- 
ence and  in  the  most  inviolable  secrecy,  the  thoughts  of 
the  prophet,  confided  his  book  to  each  other  in  the  same 
manner,  and  in  the  midst  of  troubles  preserved  it  from 
destruction. 

But  at  last  after  four  centuries  of  disasters,  a  more 
peaceful  day  seemed  to  shine  upon  Israel.  The  theocratic 
sceptre  was  divided;  the  Hebrews  gave  themselves  a  king, 
and  their  empire  although  restricted  by  neighbouring 
powers  did  not  remain  without  some  glory.  Here  a  new 
danger  appeared.  Prosperit}'  came  to  do  what  the  most 
frightful  reverses  had  been  unable  to  achieve.  Indolence 
seated  upon  the  throne  crept  into  the  lowest  ranks  of  the 
people.  Certain  indifferent  chronicles,  certain  misunder- 
stood allegories,  chants  of  vengeance  and  of  pride,  songs 
of  voluptuousness,  bearing  the  names  of  Joshua,  Ruth, 
Samuel,  David  and  Solomon,  usurped  the  place  of  the 


32  THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Sepher.  Moses  was  neglected;  his  laws  were  unheeded. 
The  guardians  of  his  secrets,  invested  with  luxury,  a  prey 
to  all  the  temptations  of  avarice  gradually  forgot  their 
oaths.  The  arm  of  Providence  raised  against  this  intractable 
people,  struck  them  at  the  moment  least  suspected.  They 
were  stirred  by  intestine  struggles,  they  turned  against 
each  other.  Ten  tribes  separated  themselves  and  kept  the 
name  of  Israel.  The  other  two  tribes  took  the  name  of 
Judah.  An  irreconcilable  hatred  spread  between  these 
two  rival  peoples;  the}T  erected  altar  against  altar,  throne 
against  throne;  Samaria  and  Jerusalem  had  each  its 
sanctuary.  The  safety  of  the  Sepher  was  the  outcome  of 
this  division. 

Amid  the  controversies  born  of  this  schism  each  peo- 
ple recalled  its  origin,  invoked  its  unheeded  laws,  cited 
the  forgotten  Sepher.  Everything  proves  that  neither  one 
nor  the  other  possessed  this  book  any  longer  and  that  it 
was  only  by  favour  of  heaven  that  it  was  found  long  af- 
terward,53 at  the  bottom  of  an  old  coffer  covered  with 
dust,  but  happily  preserved  beneath  a  heap  of  pieces  of 
money,  which  avarice  had  in  all  probability  accumulated 
secretly  and  hidden  from  all  eyes.  This  event  decided  the 
fate  of  Jerusalem.  Samaria  deprived  of  her  palladium, 
having  been  struck  a  century  before  by  the  power  of  the 
Assyrians,  had  fallen,  and  her  ten  tribes,  captive,  dispers- 
ed among  .the  nations  of  Asia,  having  no  religious  bond, 
or  to  speak  more  clearly,  entering  no  more  in  the  con- 
servative plans  of  Providence,  were  dissolved  there; 
whereas  Jerusalem,  having  recovered  her  sacred  code  in 
the  moment  of  her  greatest  peril,  attached  herself  to  it 
with  a  strength  that  nothing  could  break.  In  vain  were 
the  peoples  of  Judah  led  away  into  bondage;  in  vain  was 
their  royal  city  destroyed  as  Samaria  had  been,  the  Seph- 
er which  followed  them  to  Babylon  was  their  safe-guard. 
They  could  indeed  lose,  during  the  seventy  years  of  their 
captivity,  even  their  mother  tongue,  but  they  could  not 

53  Voyez  Chronig.  II.  c.  34.  v.  14.  et  suiv.;  et  conf6rez  Rois  II.  ch.  12. 


AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SEPHER  33 

be  detached  from  the  love  of  their  laws.  It  was  only 
needful  that  a  man  of  genius  should  deliver  these  laws  to 
them.  This  man  was  found;  for  genius  never  fails  to 
come  forth  when  summoned  by  Providence. 

Esdras  was  the  name  of  this  man.  His  soul  was 
strong  and  his  constancy  unflinching.  He  saw  that  the 
time  was  favourable,  that  the  downfall  of  the  Assyrian 
empire,  overthrown  by  the  hands  of  Cyrus,  gave  him  the 
means  for  reestablishing  the  Kingdom  of  Judah.  He  skill- 
fully profited  by  this.  From  the  Persian  monarch  he  ob- 
tained the  liberty  of  the  Jews  and  led  them  to  the  ruins 
of  Jerusalem.  But  previous  even  to  their  captivity,  the 
politics  of  the  Assyrian  kings  had  reanimated  the  Sam- 
aritan schism.  Certain  tribes,  Cuth?eans  or  Scythians, 
brought  into  Samaria,  had  intermarried  with  certain  sur- 
viving members  of  Israel  and  even  with  certain  remnants 
of  the  Jews  who  had  taken  refuge  there.  At  Babylon  the 
plan  had  been  conceived  of  opposing  them  to  the  Jews, 
whose  religious  obstinacy  was  disturbing. 54  A  copy  of  the 
Hebraic  Sepher  had  been  sent  to  them  with  a  priest  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  the  court.  Accordingly  when  Es- 
dras appeared,  these  new  Samaritans  opposed  its  estab- 
lishment with  all  their  strength. M  They  accused  him 
before  the  great  king,  of  fortifying  a  city  and  of  making 
a  citadel  rather  than  a  temple.  It  was  even  said  that  not 
content  with  calumniating  him  they  advanced  to  fight. 

But  Esdras  was  hard  to  intimidate.  Not  only  did  he 
repulse  these  adversaries  and  thwart  their  intrigues,  but 
anathematizing  them,  raised  up  between  them  and  the 
Jews  an  insurmountable  barrier.  He  did  more:  being  un- 
able to  take  away  from  them  the  Hebraic  Sepher,  a  copy 
of  which  they  had  received  from  Babylon,  he  conceived 
the  idea  of  giving  another  form  to  his  and  resolved  upon 
the  change  of  its  characters. 

This  was  comparatively  easy,  since  the  Jews,  having 

M  Kings  II  ch.  17.  v.  27. 

65  Joseph:  Hist.  Jud.  L.  XI.  c.  4. 


34  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

at  that  time  not  only  become  denaturalized,  but  having 
lost  completely  the  idiom  of  their  forefathers,  read  the 
ancient  characters  with  difficult}',  accustomed  as  they 
were  to  the  Assyrian  dialect  and  to  the  modern  charac- 
ters of  which  the  Chaldeans  had  been  the  inventors.. 
This  innovation  that  politics  alone  seemed  to  order, 
and  which  without  doubt  was  done  from  the  loftiest 
motives,  had  most  fortunate  results  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  text  of  Moses,  as  I  shall  relate  in  my  Gram- 
mar. It  called  forth  between  the  two  peoples  an  emula- 
tion which  has  contributed  not  inconsiderably  to  bring 
down  to  us  a  book  to  which  the  highest  interests  must 
ever  be  attached. 

Furthermore,  Esdas  did  not  act  alone  in  this  matter. 
The  anathema  which  he  had  hurled  against  the  Samar- 
itans having  been  approved  by  the  doctors  of  Babylon,  he 
convoked  them  and  held  with  them  that  great  synagogue, 
so  famous  in  the  books  of  the  rabbis. 56  It  was  there  that 
the  changing  of  the  characters  was  arrested ;  that  the 
vowel  points  were  admitted  in  the  writing  for  the  use  of 
the  vulgar,  and  the  ancient  Masorah  began,  which  one 
should  guard  against  confusing  with  the  modern  Masorah, 
a  work  of  the  rabbis  of  Tiberias,  the  origin  of  which  does 
not  go  back  beyond  the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  era.* 

•r>6  R.  Eleasar. 

*  The  first  Mashorah,  whose  name  indicates  Assyrian  origin  as  I 
shall  show  in  my  Grammar,  regulates  the  manner  in  which  one  should 
write  the  Sepher,  as  much  for  usage  in  the  temple  as  for  its  particular 
use;  the  characters  that  should  be  employed,  the  different  divisions 
in  books,  chapters  and  verses  that  should  be  admitted  in  the  works 
of  Moses;  the  second  Masorah,  that  I  write  with  a  different  orthography 
in  order  to  distinguish  it  from  the  first,  aside  from  the  characters, 
vowel  points,  books,  chapters  and  verses  with  which  it  is  likewise 
occupied,  enters  into  the  most  minute  details  pertaining  to  the  number 
of  words  and  letters  which  compose  each  of  these  divisions  in  parti 
cular,  and  of  the  work  in  general;  it  notes  those  of  the  verses  where 
some  letter  is  lacking,  is  superfluous,  or.  else  has  been  changed  for 
another;  it  designates  by  the  word  Kere  and  Ketib,  the  diverse  rendi- 
tions that  should  be  substituted  in  the  reading  of  each;  it  marks  the 


AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SEPHER  35 

Esdras  did  still  more.  As  much  to  estrange  the  Sam- 
aritans as  to  humour  the  Jews,  whom  long  custom  and 
their  sojourn  at  Babylon  had  attached  to  certain  writings 
more  modern  than  those  of  Moses  and  much  less  authen- 
tic, he  made  a  choice  from  them,  retouched  those  which 
appeared  to  him  defective  or  altered,  and  made  up  a  col- 
lection which  he  joined  to  the  Sepher.  The  assembly  over 
which  he  presided  approved  of  this  labour  that  the  Sam- 
aritans deemed  impious;  for  it  is  well  to  know  that  the 
Samaritans  received  absolutely  only  the  Sepher  of  Mo- 
ses, 57  and  rejected  all  the  other  writings  as  apocryphal. 
The  Jews  themselves  have  not  today  the  same  veneration 
for  all  the  books  which  constitute  what  we  call  the  Bible. 
They  preserved  the  writings  of  Moses  with  a  much  more 
scrupulous  attention,  learned  them  by  heart  and  recited 
them  much  oftener  than  the  others.  The  savants,  who 
have  been  in  a  position  to  examine  their  various  manu- 
scripts, state  that  the  part  consecrated  to  the  books  of  the 
Law  is  always  much  more  exact  and  better  treated  than 
the  rest.  M 

number  of  times  that  the  same  word  is  found  at  the  beginning,  the 
middle  or  the  end  of  a  verse;  it  indicates  what  letters  should  be  pro- 
nounced, understood,  inverted,  suspended,  etc.,  etc.  It  is  because  they 
have  not  studied  to  distinguish  these  two  institutions  from  each  other, 
that  the  savants  of  the  past  centuries  have  laid  themselves  open  to  such 
lively  discussions:  some,  like  Buxtorf  who  saw  only  the  first  Mashorah 
of  Esdras,  would  not  grant  that  it  had  anything  of  the  modern,  which 
was  ridiculous  when  one  considers  the  minutiae  of  which  I  have  just 
spoken:  others,  like  Cappell,  Morin,  Walton  and  even  Richard  Simon 
who  saw  only  the  Masorah  of  the  rabbis  of  Tiberias,  denied  that  it  had 
anything  of  the  ancient,  which  was  still  more  ridiculous,  when  one 
considers  the  choice  of  characters,  vowel  points,  and  the  primitive 
divisions  of  the  Sepher.  Among  the  rabbis,  all  those  who  have  any 
name,  have  upheld  the  antiquity  of  the  Mashorah;  there  has  been  only 
Elijah  Levita  who  has  attributed  it  to  more  modern  times.  But  per- 
haps he  heard  only  the  Masorah  of  Tiberias  mentioned.  Rarely  do  the 
rabbis  say  all  that  they  think. 

57  Walton.  Prolcg.  XI.  Richard  Simon.    Hist.  crit.  L.  I.  ch.  10. 

08  Rich.  Simon:  Hist.  Crit.  L.  I.  ch.  8. 


36  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

This  revision  and  these  additions  have  given  occasion 
in  later  times  for  thinking  that  Esdras  had  been  the 
author  of  all  the  writings  of  the  Bible.  Not  only  have 
the  modern  philosophists  embraced  this  opinion, 59  which 
favoured  their  skepticism,  but  many  Fathers  of  the 
Church,  and  many  thinkers  have  ardently  sustained  it, 
believing  it  more  consistent  with  their  hatred  of  the 
Jews:60  they  rely  chiefly  upon  a  passage  attributed  to 
Esdras  himself.61  I  think  I  have  sufficiently  proved  by 
reasoning,  that  the  Sepher  of  Moses  could  be  neither  a 
supposition  nor  a  compilation  of  detached  fragments:  for 
one  never  takes  for  granted  nor  compiles  works  of  this 
nature,  and  as  to  its  integrity  in  the  time  of  Esdras,  there 
exists  a  proof  dc  facto  that  cannot  be  challenged:  this  is 
the  Samaritan  text.  It  is  well  known,  however  little  one 
may  reflect,  that  considering  the  condition  of  things,  the 
Samaritans,  mortal  enemies  of  the  Jews,  anathematized 
by  Esdras,  would  never  have  received  a  book  of  which 
Esdras  had  been  the  author.  They  were  careful  enough 
not  to  receive  the  other  writings,  and  it  is  also  this  which 
can  make  their  authenticity  doubted.  62  But  it  is  not  my 
plan  here  to  enter  into  a  discussion  in  regard  to  this.  It 
is  only  with  the  writings  of  Moses  that  I  am  occupied;  I 
have  designated  them  expressly  by  the  name  Sepher,  in 
order  to  distinguish  them  from  the  Bible  in  general,  the 
Greek  name  of  which,  recalls  the  translation  of  the  Sep- 
tuagint  and  comprises  all  the  additions  of  Esdras  and 
even  some  more  modern  ones. 

59  Bolingbroke,  Vo'.taire,  Fre"ret,  Boulanger,  etc. 

«o  St.  Basil.  Epist.  ad  Chil.  St.  Cl£m.  Alex.  Strom.  I.  Tertull.  dc 
habit,  mulier.  c.  35.  St.  Iren.  L.  XXXIII.  c.  25.  Isidor.  Etymol.  L.  VI 
c.  1.  Leclerc.  Sentim.  de  quelq.  thcolog.  etc. 

61  Esdras   ch.  IV.  v.  14.    This  book  is  regarded  as  apocryphal. 

«2  Rich.  Simon.  Hist.  crit.  L.  I.  ch.  10. 


§  III. 

CONTINUATION  OF  THE  KEVOLUTIONS  OF  THE 
SEPHER.     ORIGIN  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL 
VERSIONS  WHICH  HAVE  BEEN  MADE. 

Let  us  rely  firmly  upon  this  important  truth:  the 
Hebraic  tongue  already  corrupted  by  a  gross  people,  and 
intellectual  as  it  was  in  its  origin,  brought  down  to  its 
most  material  elements,  was  entirely  lost  after  the  cap- 
tivity of  Babylon.  This  is  an  historic  fact  impossible  to 
be  doubted,  whatever  skepticism  we  may  profess.  The 
Bible  shows  it;63  the  Talmud  affirms  it;64  it  is  the  sen- 
timent of  the  most  famous  rabbis;63  Walton  cannot  deny 
it ; 66  the  best  critic  who  has  written  upon  this  matter, 
Richard  Simon,  never  wearies  of  repeating  it.  °7  Thus 
therefore,  nearly  six  centuries  before  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Hebrews,  having  become  Jews,  no  longer  either  spoke  or 
understood  their  original  tongue.  They  used  a  Syriac 
dialect  called  Aramaic,  formed  of  the  union  of  several 
idioms  of  Assyria  and  Phoenicia,  and  quite  different  from 
the  Nabathrean  which  according  to  d'Herbelot  was  pure 
Chaldaic.  68 

On  and  after  this  epoch,  the  Sepher  of  Moses  was  al- 
ways paraphrased  in  the  synagogues.  It  is  known  that 
after  the  reading  of  each  verse,  an  interpreter  was  charg- 
ed with  explaining  it  to  the  people,  in  the  vulgar  tongue. 
From  this  came  the  name  of  Tar  gam*  It  is  somewhat 

«3  Nehem.  ch.  8. 

M  Thalm.  devot.  ch.  4.  '.    " 

05  Elias,    Kimchi,  Ephode,  etc. 
««  Proleg.  Ill  et  XII. 
C7  Hist.  crit.  L.  I.  ch.  8,  16,  17.  etc. 
es  Biblioth.  ori.  p.  514. 

•  From  the  Chaldaic  word,Q?|jJ")^,  version,  translation:   R.  Jacob: 
in   compend.    thalm. 


38     THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

difficult  to  say  today,  whether  these  versions  were  at  first 
written  by  the  doctors  or  entrusted  to  the  sagacity  of  the 
interpreters.  However  that  may  be,  it  appears  certain 
that  the  meaning  of  the  Hebraic  words,  becoming  more 
and  more  uncertain,  violent  discussions  arose  concerning 
the  diverse  interpretations  which  were  given  to  the  Se- 
pher.  Some,  claiming  to  possess  the  oral  law  secretly 
given  by  Moses,  wished  to  introduce  it  for  everyone  in 
these  explanations;  others,  denied  the  existence  of  this 
law,  rejected  all  kinds  of  traditions  and  required  that  they 
hold  to  the  most  literal  and  the  most  material  explana- 
tions. Two  rival  sects  were  born  of  these  disputes.  The 
first,  that  of  the  Pharisees  was  the  most  numerous  and 
the  most  esteemed :  it  admitted  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
the  Sepher,  treated  as  allegories  what  appeared  to  be  ob- 
scure, believed  in  divine  Providence  and  in  the  immortal- 
ity of  the  soul. 69  The  second,  that  of  the  Sadducees, 
treated  as  fables  all  the  traditions  of  the  Pharisees,  scorn- 
ed their  allegories,  and  as  it  found  nothing  in  the  mater- 
ial meaning  of  the  Sepher  which  might  prove  or  even  ex- 
press the  immortality  of  the  soul,  denied  it ;  seeing  no- 
tling  in  what  their  antagonists  called  soul,  only  a  conse- 
quence of  the  organization  of  the  body,  a  transient  fac- 
ulty which  must  become  extinguished  with  it. 70  In  the 
midst  of  these  two  contending  sects,  a  third  was  formed, 
less  numerous  than  the  other  two,  but  infinitely  more 
learned :  it  was  that  of  the  Essenes.  These  held  a  median 
position  between  the  Pharisees,  who  made  every  thing  give 
way  to  the  allegorical,  and  the  Sadducees  who,  by  the  dry- 
ness  of  their  interpretations  perverted  the  dogmas  of  Mo- 
ses. They  preserved  the  letter  and  the  material  meaning 
outwardly,  but  guarded  the  tradition  and  the  oral  law 
for  the  secret  of  the  sanctuary.  The  Essenes,  living  far 
from  cities,  formed  particular  societies,  and  in  no  wise 

69  Joseph.  Antiq.  L.  XII.  22.  XVII.  3. 

TO  Joseph.  Ibid.  L.  XIII.  9.  Budd.  Introd.  ad  phil.  hebr.  Basnage: 
Hist,  des  Juifs.  T.  I. 


ORIGIN  OF  PRINCIPAL  VERSIONS  39 

jealous  of  the  sacerdotal  charges  filled  by  the  Pharisees,  or 
of  the  civil  honours  intrigued  for  by  the  Sadducees,  they 
applied  themselves  much  to  ethics  and  the  study  of  nat- 
ure. All  that  has  been  written  upon  the  mode  of  life  and 
intelligence  of  this  sect  has  redounded  greatly  to  its  cred- 
it. 71  Wherever  there  were  Jews,  there  were  Essenes ; 
but  it  was  in  Egypt  that  they  were  mostly  found.  Their 
principal  retreat  was  in  the  environs  of  Alexandria, 
toward  the  lake,  and  Mount  Moriah. 

I  beg  the  reader  seriously  interested  in  ancient 
secrets  to  give  attention  to  this  name;*  for  if  it  is  true,  as 
everyone  attests,  that  Moses  has  left  an  oral  law,  it  is 
among  the  Essenes  that  it  has  been  preserved.  The  Phari- 
sees who  boasted  so  haughtily  that  they  possessed  it,  had 
only  its  semblances,  for  which  Jesus  constantly  reproach- 
es them.  It  is  from  these  Pharisees  that  the  modern  Jews 
descend,  with  the  exception  of  certain  true  savants 
through  whom  the  secret  tradition  goes  back  to  that  of 
the  Essenes.  The  Sadducees  have  brought  forth  the  pre- 
sent Karaites,  otherwise  called  Scripturalists. 

But  even  before  the  Jews  possessed  their  Chaldaic 
targums,  the  Samaritans  had  a  version  of  the  Sepher 
made  in  the  vulgar  tongue;  for  they  were  even  less  able 
than  the  Jews  to  understand  the  original  text.  This  ver- 
sion which  we  possess  entire,  being  the  first  of  all  those 
which  had  been  made,  merits  consequently  more  confid- 
ence than  the  targums,  which  succeeding  and  destroying 
one  another  do  not  appear  of  great  antiquity :  besides,  the 
dialect  in  which  the  Samaritan  version  is  written  has 
more  affinity  with  the  Hebrew  than  with  the  Aramaic  or 
the  Chaldaic  of  the  targums.  To  a  rabbi,  named  Onkelos, 
has  ordinarily  been  attributed  the  targum  of  the  Sepher, 

71  Joseph:  de  bello  Jud.  L.  II.  c.  12.  Phil,  de  vitA  contempt  Budd: 
Introd.  ad  phil.  hebr.  etc. 

*  It  is  unnecessary,  I  think,  for  me  to  say  that  Mount  Moriah  has 
become  one  of  the  symbols  of  Adonhiramite  masonry.  This  word 
signifies  the  reflected  light,  the  splendour. 


40     THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

properly  so-called,  and  to  another  rabbi  named  Jonathan, 
that  of  the  other  books  of  the  Bible;  but  the  epoch  of 
their  composition  has  not  been  fixed.  It  can  only  be  in- 
ferred that  they  are  more  ancient  than  the  Talmud,  be- 
cause the  dialect  is  more  correct  and  less  disfigured.  The 
Talmud  of  Jerusalem  particularly,  is  in  a  barbarous 
style,  mixed  with  a  quantity  of  words  borrowed  from 
neighbouring  tongues  and  chiefly  from  Greek,  Latin  and 
Persian. 72  This  was  the  vulgar  idiom  of  the  Jews  in  the 
time  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Nevertheless,  the  Jews,  protected  by  the  Persian 
monarchs,  had  enjoyed  some  moments  of  tranquillity; 
they  had  rebuilt  their  temples;  they  had  raised  again  the 
walls  of  their  city.  Suddenly  the  face  of  things  was 
changed:  the  empire  of  Cyrus  crumbled;  Babylon  fell  in- 
to the  power  of  the  Greeks ;  all  bent  beneath  the  laws  of 
Alexander.  But  this  torrent  which  burst  forth  in  a  mo- 
ment, both  upon  Africa  and  upon  Asia,  soon  divided  its 
waves  and  turned  them  in  different  channels.  Alexander 
died  and  his  captains  parcelled  out  his  heritage.  The 
Jews  fell  into  the  power  of  the  SeleucidcP.  The  Greek 
tongue  carried  everywhere  by  the  conquerors,  modified 
the  new  idiom  of  Jerusalem  and  drew  it  further  away 
from  the  Hebrew.  The  Sepher  of  Moses  already  disfig- 
ured by  the  Chaldaic  paraphrases  disappeared  gradually 
in  the  Greek  version. 

Thanks  to  the  discussions  raised  by  the  savants  of  the 
last  centuries  upon  the  famous  version  of  the  Hellenist 
Jews,  vulgarly  called  the  Septuagint  version,  nothing  had 
become  more  obscure  than  its  origin. 73  They  questioned 
among  themselves,  at  what  epoch,  and  how,  and  why  it 
had  been  done ; 74  whether  it  was  the  first  of  all,  and 
whether  there  did  not  exist  an  earlier  version  in  Greek, 

72  Hist.  crit.  L.  II.  ch.  18. 

73  Hist,  crit.   L.   II.   c.  2. 

74  Despierres:  Auctor,  script,  tract.     II.  Walton.  Proleg.  IX. 


ORIGIN  OF  PRINCIPAL  VERSIONS  41 

from  which  Pythagoras,  Plato  and  Aristotle  had  drawn 
their  knowledge;™  who  the  seventy  interpreters  were  and 
whether  they  were  or  were  not,  in  separate  cells  while 
labouring  at  this  work ; 76  whether  these  interpreters  were, 
in  short,  prophets  rather  than  simple  translators. " 

After  having  examined  quite  at  length  the  divergent 
opinions  which  have  been  put  forth  on  this  subject,  these 
are  what  I  have  judged  the  most  probable.  Anyone  can, 
if  he  is  so  inclined,  do  this  difficult  labour  over  again, 
which  after  all  will  produce  only  the  same  results,  if  he 
is  careful  to  exercise  the  same  impartiality  that  I  have 
chown. 

It  canii^t  be  doubted  that  Ptolemy,  son  of  Lagus,  not- 
withstanding some  acts  of  violence  which  marked  the  be- 
ginning of  his  reign  and  into  which  he  was  forced  by  the 
conspiracy  of  his  brothers,  was  a  very  great  prince.  Egypt 
has  not  had  a  more  brilliant  epoch.  There,  flourished  at 
the  same  time,  peace,  commerce,  the  arts,  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  sciences,  without  which  there  is  no  true  grand- 
eur in  an  empire.  It  was  through  the  efforts  of  Ptolemy 
that  the  splendid  library  in  Alexandria  was  established, 
which  Demetrius  of  Phalereus,  to  whom  he  had  confided 
its  keeping,  enriched  with  all  the  most  precious  literature 
of  that  time.  The  Jews  had  long  since  been  settled  in 
Egypt. 78  I  cannot  conceive  by  what  spirit  of  contradic- 
tion the  modern  thinkers  insist  that,  in  the  course  of 
circumstances  such  as  I  have  just  presented,  Ptolemy  did 
not  have  the  thought  that  has  been  attributed  to  him  of 
making  a  translation  of  the  Sepher  in  order  to  place  it 
in  his  library. 79  Nothing  seems  to  me  so  simple.  The 

75  Cyril.   Alex.   L.   I.   Euseb.   pra;p.   evan.   c.   3.   Ambros.   Epist.   6. 
Joseph  Contr.  Api.  L.  I.  Bellarmin.  dc  verbo  Dei.  L.  II.  c.  5. 

76  St.  Justin,  orat.  par.  ad  gent.  Epiph.  Lib.  de  mens.  et  ponder. 
Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  L.  I.  Hieron.  Prwf.  in  Pcntat.  J.  Morin.  Exercit.  IV. 

77  St.  Thomas:  quwst.  II.  art.  3.  St.  August,  de  Civit.  del.  L.  XVIII. 
c.  43.  Iren.  adv.  hoeres.  c.  25,  etc. 

78  Joseph.  Antiq.  L.  XII.  c.  3. 
7»  Horcc  Biblical  §  2. 


42  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  HE  STORED 

historian  Josephus  is  assuredly  believable  on  this  point 
as  well  as  the  author  of  the  letter  of  Aristeas,  80  notwith- 
standing certain  embellishments  with  which  he  loads  this 
historic  fact. 

But  the  execution  of  this  plan  might  offer  difficulties ; 
for  it  is  known  that  the  Jews  communicated  with  reticence 
their  books,  and  that  they  guarded  their  mysteries  with 
an  inviolable  secrecy. sl  It  was  even  a  customary  opinion 
among  them,  that  God  would  punish  severely  those  who 
dared  to  make  translations  in  the  vulgar  tongue.  The 
Talmud  relates  that  Jonathan,  after  the  appearance  of 
his  Chaidaic  paraphrase,  was  sharply  reprimanded  by  a 
voice  from  heaven  for  having  dared  to  reveal  to  men  the 
secrets  of  God.  Ptolemy,  therefore,  was  obliged  to  have 
recourse  to  the  intercession  of  the  sovereign  pontiff 
Eleazar,  showing  his  piety  by  freeing  certain  Jewish 
slaves.  This  sovereign  pontiff  whether  touched  by  the 
bounty  of  the  king,  or  whether  not  daring  to  resist  his 
will,  sent  him  an  exemplar  of  the  Sepher  of  Moses,  per- 
mitting him  to  make  a  translation  of  it  in  the  Greek 
tongue.  It  was  only  a  question  of  choosing  the  trans- 
lators. As  the  Essenes  of  Mount  Moriah  enjoyed  a  meri- 
ted reputation  for  learning  and  sanctity,  everything  leads 
me  to  believe  that  Demetrius  of  Phalereus  turned  his  at- 
tention upon  them  and  transmitted  to  them  the  orders 
of  the  king.  These  sectarians  lived  as  anchorites,  seclud- 
ed in  separate  cells,  being  occupied,  as  I  have  already 
said,  with  the  study  of  nature.  The  Sepher  was,  according 
to  them,  composed  of  spirit  and  substance:  by  the  sub- 
stance they  understood  the  material  meaning  of  the  Hebra- 
ic tongue;  by  the  spirit,  the  spiritual  meaning  lost  to  the 
vulgar.83  Pressed  between  the  religious  law  which  for- 
bade the  communication  of  the  divine  mysteries  and  the 
authority  of  the  prince  who  ordered  them  to  translate 

so  Joseph.  lUd.  propf.  et  L.  XII.  c.  2. 

81  Hist.  crit.  L.  II.  ch.  2. 

82  Joseph,  de  Bello  Jud.  L.  II.  ch.  12.  Phil,  de  vitA  contempt  Budd. 
introd.  ad  phil,  hebr. 


ORIGIN  OF  PRINCIPAL  VERSIONS  43 

the  Sepher,  they  were  astute  enough  to  extricate  them- 
selves from  such  a  hazardous  step :  for,  in  giving  the  sub- 
stance of  the  book,  they  obeyed  the  civil  authority,  and 
in  retaining  the  spirit,  obeyed  their  conscience.  They 
made  a  verbal  version  as  exact  as  they  could  in  the  re- 
stricted and  material  expression,  and  in  order  to  protect 
themselves  still  further  from  the  reproaches  of  profana- 
tion, they  made  use  of  the  text  of  the  Samaritan  version 
whenever  the  Hebraic  text  did  not  offer  sufficient 
obscurity. 

It  is  very  doubtful  whether  there  were  seventy  in 
number  who  performed  this  task.  The  name  of  the  Sept- 
uagint  Version  comes  from  another  circumstance  that  I 
am  about  to  relate. 

The  Talmud  states  that  at  first  there  were  only  five 
interpreters,  which  is  quite  probable;  for  it  is  known  that 
Ptolemy  caused  only  the  five  books  of  Moses  to  be  trans- 
lated, those  contained  in  the  Sepher,  without  being  con- 
cerned with  the  additions  of  Esdras.83  Bossuet  agrees 
with  this  in  saying  that  the  rest  of  the  books  were,  in 
the  course  of  time,  put  into  Greek  for  the  use  of  the  Jews 
who  were  spread  throughout  Egypt  and  Greece,  where 
they  had  not  only  forgotten  their  ancient  tongue,  the 
Hebrew,  but  even  the  Chaldaic  which  they  had  learned 
during  captivity.84  This  writer  adds,  and  I  beg  the  reader 
to  note  this,  that  these  Jews  made  a  Greek  mixture  of 
Hebraisms  which  is  called  the  Hellenistic  tongue,  and  that 
the  Septuaffint  and  all  the  New  Testament  are  written 
in  this  language. 

It  is  certain  that  the  Jews,  dispersed  throughout 
Egypt  and  Greece,  having  entirely  forgotten  the  Aramaic 
dialect  in  which  their  Targums  were  written,  and  finding 
themselves  in  need  of  a  paraphrase  in  the  vulgar  tongue, 
would  naturally  take  the  version  of  the  Sepher  which  al- 
ready existed  in  the  royal  library  at  Alexandria:  this  is 

83  Joseph.  Antiq.  L.   XII.  ch.   2. 

84  Disc,  sur  VHist.  untv.  I.  part.  8. 


44  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

what  they  did.  They  joined  to  it  a  translation  of  the  addi- 
tions of  Esdras  and  sent  the?  whole  to  Jerusalem  to  be  ap- 
proved as  a  paraphrase.  The  sanhedrin  granted  their  de- 
mand, and  as  this  tribunal  happened  to  be  of  seventy  judges 
in  conformity  with  the  law, 85  this  version  received  the 
name  of  Scptuagint  version,  that  is  to  say,  approved  by 
the  seventy. 86 

Such  is  the  origin  of  the  Bible.  It  is  a  copy  in  the 
Greek  tongue  of  the  Hebraic  writings  wherein  the  mater- 
ial forms  of  the  Sepher  of  Moses  are  well  enough  pre- 
served, so  that  those  who  see  nothing  beyond  the  material 
forms  may  not  suspect  the  spiritual.  In  the  state  of 
ignorance  in  which  the  Jews  were  at  that  time,  this  book 
thus  disguised  suited  them.  It  suited  them  to  such  an 
extent,  that  in  many  of  the  Greek  synagogues,  it  was 
read  not  only  as  paraphrase,  but  in  place  of  and  in  prefer- 
ence to  the  original  text. 87  Of  what  use  was  the  reading 
of  the  Hebrew  text?  The  Jewish  people  had  long  since 
ceased  to  understand  it  even  in  its  most  restricted  ac- 
ceptance,* and  among  the  rabbis,  if  one  excepts  certain 

85  Sepher.  L.  IV.  c.  11.  Elias  Levita:  in  Thisbi. 

86  Hist.  crit.  L.  II.  c.  2. 

87  Wa'.ton:   Prolcg.  IX.  Horoc  biblicoe.  §.  2.  Hist.   Crit.  L.  I.  c.  17. 
*  Philo,  the  most  learned  of  the  Jews  of  his  time,  did  not  know  a 

word  of  Hebrew  although  he  wrote  a  history  of  Moses.  He  praises 
much  the  Greek  version  of  the  Hellenists,  which  he  was  incapable  of 
comparing  with  tho  original.  Josephus  himself,  who  has  written  a 
history  of  his  nation  and  who  should  have  made  a  special  study  <jf 
the  Sepher,  proves  at  every  step  that  he  did  not  understand  the 
Hebrew  text  and  that  he  often  made  use  of  the  Greek.  He  laboured 
hard  in  the  beginning  of  his  work  to  understand  why  Moses,  wishing 
to  express  the  first  day  of  creation,  used  the  word  one  and  not  the 
word  first,  without  making  the  very  simple  reflection  that  tha  word 
inx  in  Hebrew,  signifies  both.  It  is  obvious  that  he  pays  less  attention 
to  the  manner  in  which  the  proper  names  were  written,  than  to  that 
in  which  they  were  pronounced  in  his  time,  and  that  he  read  them 
not  by  the  Hebraic  letter,  but  by  the  Greek  letter.  This  historian  who 
promises  to  translate  and  to  render  the  meaning  of  Moses,  without 
adding  or  diminishing  anything,  is  however  far  from  accomplishing 
tLis  purpose.  In  the  very  first  chapter  of  his  book,  he  says  that  God 


ORIGIN  OF  PRINCIPAL  VERSIONS  45 

Essenes  initiated  in  the  secrets  of  the  oral  law,  the  most 
learned  scarcely  pretended  to  go  back  of  the  Greek,  the 
Latin,  or  the  barbarous  jargon  of  Jerusalem,  to  the  Chal- " 
daic  Targums  which  had  become  for  them  almost  as  diffi- 
cult as  the  text.* 

It  was  during  this  state  of  ignorance  and  when  the 
Greek  Bible  usurped  everywhere  the  place  of  the  Hebraic 
Sepher,  that  Providence  wishing  to  change  the  face  of 
the  world  and  operating  one  of  those  necessary  move- 
ments whose  profound  reason  I  believe  it  useless  to  re- 
veal, raised  up  Jesus.  A  new  cult  was  born.  Christianity, 
at  first  obscure,  considered  as  a  Jewish  sect,  increased, 
was  spread  abroad  and  covered  Asia,  Africa  and  Europe. 
The  Roman  empire  was  enveloped  by  it.  Jesus  and  his 
disciples  had  always  quoted  the  Greek  Bible,  the  Fathers 
of  the  Church  attaching  themselves  to  this  book  with  a 
religious  respect,  believing  it  inspired,  written  by  the 
prophets,  scorned  the  Hebraic  text,  and  as  Saint  Augus- 
tine clearly  says,  M  were  even  ignorant  of  its  existence. 
Nevertheless  the  Jews,  alarmed  at  this  movement  which 
was  beyond  their  comprehension,  cursed  the  book  which 
caused  it.  The  rabbis,  either  by  politics  or  because  the 
oral  law  became  known,  openly  scoffed  it  as  an  illusory 
version,  decried  it  as  a  false  work,  and  caused  it  to  be 
considered  by  the  Jews  as  more  calamitous  for  Israel 
than  the  golden  calf.  They  publicly  stated  that  the  earth 
had  been  enveloped  in  darkness  during  three  days  on 
account  of  this  profanation  of  the  holy  Book,  and  as  one 

took  away  speech  from  the  serpent,  that  he  made  its  tongue  venomous, 
that  he  condemned  it  henceforth  to  have  feet  no  more;  that  he  com- 
manded Adam  to  tread  upon  the  head  of  this  serpent,  etc.  Now,  if 
Philo  and  Josephus  showed  themselves  so  ignorant  in  the  understand- 
ing of  the  sacred  text,  what  must  have  been  the  other  Jews?  I  make 
exception  always  of  the  Essenes. 

*  It  is  related  in  St.  Luke  that  Jesus  Christ  read  to  the  people  a 
passage  from  Isaiah  paraphrased  in  Chaldaic  and  that  he  explained  it 
(ch.  4.  v.  17).  It  is  Walton  who  has  made  this  observation  in  his 
Prolegomena.  Dissert.  XII. 

88  "Ut  an  alia  esset  ignorarent."     August.  L.  III.  c.  25. 


46  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

can  see  in  the  Talmud,  ordained  an  annual  fast  of  three 
days  in  memory  of  this  event. 

These  precautions  came  too  late ;  the  storehouse  badly 
guarded  had  changed  hands.  Israel,  resembling  a  crude 
coffer  closed  with  a  triple  lock  but  worn  out  by  time, 
afforded  no  longer  a  sufficiently  sure  shelter.  A  terrible 
revolution  drew  nigh :  Jerusalm  fell,  and  the  Roman  em- 
pire, a  political  moribund  body,  was  destined  to  the  vul- 
tures of  the  North.  Already  the  clouds  of  ignorance  were 
darkening  the  horizon ;  already  the  cries  of  the  barbarians 
were  heard  in  the  distance.  It  was  necessary  to  oppose 
these  formidable  enemies  with  an  insurmountable  obstacle. 
That  obstacle  was  this  same  Book  which  was  to  subdue 
them  and  which  they  were  not  to  understand. 

Neither  the  Jews  nor  the  Christians  were  able  to 
enter  into  the  profoundness  of  these  plans.  They  accused 
each  other  of  ignorance  and  of  bad  faith.  The  Jews, 
possessors  of  an  original  text  which  they  could  no  longer 
comprehend,  anathematized  a  version  which  rendered 
only  the  gross  and  exterior  forms.  The  Christians,  con- 
tent with  these  forms  wrhich  at  least  they  grasped,  went 
no  further  and  treated  with  contempt  all  the  rest.  It 
is  true  that  from  time  to  time  there  appeared  among 
them  men  who,  profiting  by  a  last  gleam  of  light  in  those 
dark  days,  dared  to  fix  the  basis  of  their  belief,  and  judg- 
ing the  version  in  its  spirit  to  be  identical  with  its  forms, 
detached  themselves  abruptly  and  disdainfully  from  it. 
Such  were  Valentine,  Basil,  Marcion,  Apelles,  Bardesane, 
and  Manes,  the  most  terrible  of  the  adversaries  that  the 
Bible  has  encountered.  All  treated  as  impious  the  author 
of  a  book  wherein  the  Being,  preeminently  good,  is  re- 
presented as  the  author  of  evil;  wherein  this  Being  cre- 
ates without  plan,  prefers  arbitrarily,  repents,  is  angered, 
punishes  an  innocent  posterity  with  the  crime  of  one 
whose  downfall  he  has  prepared.89  Manes,  judging  Moses 
by  the  book  that  the  Christians  declared  to  be  from  him, 

89  Beausobre:  Hist,  du  Manich.  Passim.  Epiphan,  hceres,  passim. 


ORIGIN  OF  PRINCIPAL  VERSIONS  47 

regarded  this  prophet  as  having  been  inspired  by  the  Gen- 
ius of  evil.  M  Marcion,  somewhat  less  severe  saw  in  him 
only  the  instrument  of  the  Creator  of  the  elementary 
world,  very  different  from  the  Supreme  Being.91  All  of 
them  caused  storms,  more  or  less  violent;  according  to 
the  force  of  their  genius.  They  did  not  succeed,  because 
their  attack  was  imprudent,  unseasonable,  and  because 
without  knowing  it  they  brought  their  light  to  bear  in- 
opportunely upon  a  rough  structure  prepared  for  sustain- 
ing a  most  true  and  imposing  edifice. 

Those  Fathers  of  the  Church  whose  eyes  were  not 
wholly  bli  ded,  sought  for  expedients  to  evade  the  great- 
est difficulties.  Some  accused  the  Jews  of  having  foisted 
upon  the  books  of  Moses  things  false  and  injurious  to 
the  Divinity ; 92  others  had  recourse  to  allegories.  93  Saint 
Augustine  acknowledged  that  there  was  no  way  of  con- 
serving the  literal  meaning  of  the  first  three  chapters  of 
Genesis,  without  attributing  to  God  things  unworthy  of 
him. 94  Origen  declared  that  if  the  history  of  the  creation 
was  taken  in  the  literal  sense  it  was  absurd  and  con- 
tradictory.95 He  complained  of  the  ignorant  ones  who, 
led  astray  by  the  letter  of  the  Bible,  attributed  to  God 
sentiments  and  actions  that  one  would  not  wish  to  attri- 
bute to  the  most  unjust,  the  most  barbarous  of  men.96 
The  wise  Beausobre  in  his  Histoire  du  Manicheisme,  and 
P£tau  in  his  Dogmes  theologiques,  cite  numerous  similar 
examples. 

The  last  of  the  Fathers  who  saw  the  terrible  mistake 
of  the  version  of  the  Hellenists  and  who  wished  to  remedy 
it,  was  Saint  Jerome.  I  give  full  justice  to  his  inten- 
se Act.  disput.  Arcnel.  §  7. 

81  Tertull.  Contr.  Marci. 

82  Recognit.  L.  II.  p.  52.  Clement.  Homel.  III.  p.  642-645. 
»3  pgtau:  Dogm.  thtol.  de  opif.  L.  II.  7. 

94  August.  Contr.  Faust.  L.  XXXII.  10.  De  Genes.  Contr.  Manich. 
L.  II.  2. 

»5  Origen.  philocal.  p.  12.  . 
86  Origen.  Ibid.  p.  6  et  7. 


48  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

tions.  This  Father,  of  an  ardent  character  and  search- 
ing mind,  might  have  remedied  the  evil,  if  the  evil  had 
been  of  a  nature  to  yield  to  his  efforts.  Too  prudent  to 
cause  a  scandal  like  that  of  Marcion  or  of  Manes;  too 
judicious  to  restrict  himself  to  vain  subtleties  as  did 
Origen  or  Saint  Augustine,  he  felt  deeply  that  the  only 
way  of  arriving  at  the  truth  was  to  resort  to  the  original 
text.  This  text  was  entirely  unknown.  The  Greek  was 
everything.  It  was  from  the  Greek,  strange  and  extraordi- 
nary fact,  that  had  been  made,  according  as  was  needed, 
not  only  the  Latin  version,  but  the  Coptic,  Ethiopic,  Arabic, 
and  even  the  Syriac,  Persian  and  others. 

But'  in  order  to  resort  to  the  original  text  it  would 
be  necessary  to  understand  the  Hebrew.  And  how  was 
it  possible  to  understand  a  tongue  lost  for  more  than  a 
thousand  years?  The  Jews,  with  the  exception  of  a  very 
small  number  of  sages  from  whom  the  most  horrible  tor- 
ments were  unable  to  drag  it,  understood  it  hardly  better 
than  Saint  Jerome.  Nevertheless,  the  only  way  that  re- 
mained for  this  Father  was  to  turn  to  the  Jews.  He 
took  a  teacher  from  among  the  rabbis  of  the  school  of 
Tiberias.  At  this  news,  all  the  Christain  church  cried 
out  in  indignation.  Saint  Augustine  boldly  censured 
Saint  Jerome.  Rufinus  attacked  him  unsparingly.  Saint 
Jerome,  exposed  to  this  storm,  repented  having  said  that 
the  version  of  the  Septuagint  was  wrong;  he  used  subter- 
fuges; sometimes,  to  flatter  the  vulgar,  he  said  that  the 
Hebraic  text  was  corrupt;  sometimes,  he  extolled  this 
text  concerning  which,  he  declared  that  the  Jews  had 
not  been  able  to  corrupt  a  single  line.  When  reproached 
with  these  contradictions,  he  replied  that  they  were  ig- 
norant of  the  laws  of  dialectics,  that  they  did  not  under- 
stand that  in  disputes  one  spoke  sometimes  in  one  man- 
ner and  sometimes  in  another,  and  that  one  did  the  oppo- 
site of  what  one  said.97  He  relied  upon  the  example  of 
Saint  Paul ;  he  quoted  Origen.  Rufinus  charged  him  with 

vt  P.  Morin.  Exercit.  Bill.  Rich.  Simon.  Hist.  crit. 


ORIGIN  OF  PRINCIPAL  VERSIONS  49 

impiety,  and  replied  to  him  that  Origen  had  never  for- 
gotten himself  to  the  point  of  translating  the  Hebrew, 
and  that  only  Jews  or  apostates  could  undertake  it.98 
Saint  Augustine,  somewhat  more  moderate,  did  not  ac- 
cuse the  Jews  of  having  corrupted  the  sacred  text;  he 
did  not  treat  Saint  Jerome  as  impious  and  as  apostate; 
he  even  agreed  that  the  version  of  the  Septuagint  is  often 
incomprehensible;  but  he  had  recourse  to  the  providence 
of  God,"  which  had  permitted  that  these  interpreters 
should  translate  the  Scripture  in  the  way  that  was  judged 
to  be  the  most  fitting  for  the  nations  who  would  embrace 
the  Christian  religion. 

In  the  midst  of  these  numberless  contradictions, 
Saint  Jerome  had  the  courage  to  pursue  his  plan;  but 
other  contradictions  and  other  obstacles  more  alarming 
awaited  him.  He  saw  that  the  Hebrew  which  he  was  so 
desirous  of  grasping  escaped  from  him  at  each  step;  that 
the  Jews  whom  he  consulted  wavered  in  the  greatest  un- 
certainty; that  they  did  not  agree  upon  the  meaning  of 
the  words,  that  they  had  no  fixed  principle,  no  grammar; 
that,  in  fact,  the  only  lexicon  of  which  he  was  able  to 
make  use  was  that  very  Hellenistic  version  which  he 
aspired  to  correct.100  What  was  the  result  of  his  labour? 
A  new  translation  of  the  Greek  Bible  in  Latin,  a  little  less 
barbarous  than  the  preceding  translations  and  compared 
with  the  Hebraic  text  as  to  the  literal  forms.  Saint 
Jerome  could  do  nothing  further.  Had  he  penetrated 
the  inner  principles  of  the  Hebrew;  had  the  genius  of 
that  tongue  been  unveiled  to  his  eyes,  he  would  have  been 
constrained  by  the  force  of  things,  either  to  keep  silence 
or  to  restrict  it  within  the  version  of  the  Hellenists.  This 
version,  judged  the  fruit  of  a  divine  inspiration,  dominated 
the  minds  in  such  a  manner,  that  one  was  obliged  to  lose 
one's  way  like  Marcion,  or  follow  it  into  its  necessary 

98  Ruffin.  Invect.  Llv.  II.  Richard  Simon.  Ibid.  L.  II.  chap.  2. 
t»  August,  de  doct.  Christ.  Walton:  Prolog.  X. 
100  Rich.  Simon.  Ibid.  L.  II.  ch.  12. 


50  THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

obscurity.  This  is  the  Latin  translation  called  ordinarily, 
the  Vulgate. 

The  Council  of  Trent  has  declared  this  translation 
authentic,  without  nevertheless,  declaring  it  infallible; 
but101  the  Inquisition  has  sustained  it  with  all  the  force 
of  its  arguments,102  and  the  theologians  with  all  the  weight 
of  their  intolerance  and  their  partiality.* 

I  shall  not  enter  into  the  irksome  detail  of  the  num- 
berless controversies  which  the  version  of  the  Hellenists 
and  that  of  Saint  Jerome  have  brought  about  in  the  more 
modern  times.  I  shall  pass  over  in  silence  the  transla- 
tions which  have  been  made  in  all  the  tongues  of  Europe, 
whether  before  or  after  the  Reformation  of  Luther,  be- 
cause they  were  all  alike,  only  copies  more  or  less  re- 
moved from  the  Greek  and  Latin. 

No  matter  how  much  Martin  Luther  and  Augustine 
Eugubio  say  about  the  ignorance  of  the  Hellenists,  they 
still  use  their  lexicon  in  copying  Saint  Jerome.  Though 
Santes  Pagnin  or  Arias  Montanus  endeavour  to  discredit 
the  Vulgate;  though  Louis  Cappell  pass  thirty-six  years 
of  his  life  pointing  out  the  errors;  though  Doctor  James 
or  Father  Henri  de  Bukentop,  or  Luc  de  Bruges,  count 
minutely  the  mistakes  of  their  work,  brought  according  to 
some  to  two  thousand,  according  to  others,  four  thousand ; 
though  Cardinal  Cajetan,  or  Cardinal  Bellarmin  perceive 
them  or  admit  them;  they  do  not  advance  one  iota  the 

101  Hist.  crit.  L.  II.  ch.  12. 

102  Palavic.    Hist.  M.  VI.  ch.  17.  Mariana:  pro.  Edit.  vulg.  c.  I. 

*  Cardinal  Ximenes  having  caused  to  be  printed  in  1515,  a  poly- 
glot composed  of  Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin,  placed  the  Vulgate  between 
the  Hebraic  text  and  the  Septuagint  version:  comparing  this  Bible 
thus  ranged  in  three  columns,  to  Jesus  Christ  between  the  two  robbers: 
the  Hebrew  text  according  to  his  sentiment,  represented  the  wicked 
robber,  the  Hellenistic  version  the  good  robber  and  the  Latin  transla- 
tion Jesus  Christ!  The  editor  of  the  Polyglot  of  Paris,  declares  in 
his  preface  that  the  Vulgate  should  be  regarded  as  the  original  source 
wherein  all  the  other  versions  and  the  text  itself  should  agree.  When 
one  has  such  ideas,  one  offers  little  access  for  truth. 


ORIGIN  OF  PRINCIPAL  VERSIONS  51 

intelligence  of  the  text.  The  declamations  of  Calvin,  the 
labours  of  Olivetan,  of  Corneille,  Bertram,  Ostervald  and 
a  host  of  other  thinkers  do  not  produce  a  better  effect. 
Of  what  importance  the  weighty  commentaries  of  Calmet, 
the  diffuse  dissertations  of  Hottinger?  What  new  lights 
does  one  see  from  the  works  of  Bochard,  Huet,  Leclerc, 
Lelong  and  Michaelis?  Is  the  Hebrew  any  better  under- 
stood? This  tongue,  lost  for  twenty-five  centuries,  does 
it  yield  to  the  researches  of  Father  Houbigant,  or  to  the 
indefatigable  Kennicott?  Of  what  use  is  it  to  either  or 
both,  delving  in  the  libraries  of  Europe,  examining,  com- 
piling and  comparing  all  the  old  manuscripts?  Not  any. 
Certain  letters  vary,  certain  vowel  points  change,  but  the 
same  obscurity  remains  upon  the  meaning  of  the  Sepher. 
In  whatever  tongue  one  turns  it,  it  is  always  the  same 
Hellenistic  version  that  one  translates,  since  it  is  the  sole 
lexicon  for  all  the  translators  of  the  Hebrew. 

It  is  impossible  ever  to  leave  the  vicious  circle  if 
one  has  not  acquired  a  true  and  perfect  knowledge  of  the 
Hebraic  tongue.  But  how  is  one  to  acquire  the  knowledge? 
How?  By  reestablishing  this  lost  tongue  in  its  original 
principles :  by  throwing  off  the  Hellenistic  yoke :  by  re- 
constructing its  lexicon:  by  penetrating  the  sanctuaries 
of  the  Essenes:  by  mistrusting  the  exterior  doctrine  of 
the  Jews :  by  opening  at  last  that  holy  ark  which  for  more 
than  three  thousand  years,  closed  to  the  profane,  has 
brought  down  to  us,  by  a  decree  of  Divine  Providence, 
the  treasures  amassed  by  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians. 

This  is  the  object  of  a  part  of  my  labours.  With  the 
origin  of  speech  as  my  goal,  I  have  found  in  my  path 
Chinese,  Sanskrit  and  Hebrew.  I  have  examined  their 
rights.  I  have  revealed  them  to  my  readers,  and  forced 
to  make  a  choice  between  these  three  primordial  idioms 
I  have  chosen  the  Hebrew.  I  have  told  how,  being  com- 
posed in  its  origin  of  intellectual,  metaphorical  and  uni- 
versal expressions,  it  had  insensibly  become  wholly  gross 
in  its  nature  because  restricted  to  material,  literal  and 


52  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

particular  expressions.  I  have  shown  at  what  epoch  and 
how  it  was  entirely  lost.  I  have  followed  the  revolu- 
tions of  the  Sepher  of  Moses,  the  unique  book  which  con- 
tains this  tongue.  I  have  developed  the  occasion  and  the 
manner  in  which  the  principal  versions  were  made.  I 
have  reduced  these  versions  to  the  number  of  four;  as 
follows :  the  Chaldaic  paraphrases  or  targums,  the  Samari- 
tan version,  that  of  the  Hellenists,  called  the  Septuagint 
version,  and  finally  that  of  Saint  Jerome,  or  the  Vulgate. 
I  have  indicated  sufficiently  the  idea  that  one  ought  to 
follow. 

It  is  now  for  my  Grammer  to  recall  the  forgotten 
principles  of  the  Hebraic  tongue,  to  establish  them  in  a 
solid  manner,  and  to  connect  them  with  the  necessary 
results :  it  is  for  my  translation  of  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses 
and  the  notes  which  accompany  it,  to  show  the  force  and 
concordance  of  these  results.  I  shall  now  give  myself 
fearlessly  to  this  difficult  labour,  as  certain  of  its  success 
as  of  its  utility,  if  my  readers  vouchsafe  to  follow  me 
with  the  attention  and  the  confidence  that  is  required. 


Hebraic  Grammar 


HEBRAIC  GRAMMAR 

CHAPTER  I. 
GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 

§  I. 
THE  REAL  PURPOSE  OF  THIS  GRAMMAR. 

Long  ago  it  was  said,  that  grammar  was  the  art  of 
writing  and  of  speaking  a  tongue  correctly :  but  long  ago 
it  ought  also  to  have  been  considered  that  this  definition 
good  for  living  tongues  was  of  no  value  applied  to  dead 
ones. 

In  fact,  what  need  is  there  of  knowing  how  to  speak 
and  even  write  (if  composing  is  what  is  meant  by  writ- 
ing) Sanskrit,  Zend,  Hebrew  and  other  tongues  of  this 
nature?  Does  one  not  feel  that  it  is  not  a  question  of 
giving  to  modern  thoughts  an  exterior  which  has  not  been 
made  for  them ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  of  discovering  under 
a  worn-out  exterior  ancient  thoughts  worthy  to  be  revived 
under  more  modern  forms?  Thoughts  are  for  all  time, 
all  places  and  all  men.  It  is  not  thus  with  the  tongues 
which  express  them.  These  tongues  are  appropriate  to 
the  customs,  laws,  understanding  and  periods  of  the  ages ; 
they  become  modified  in  proportion  as  they  advance  in 
the  centuries;  they  follow  the  course  of  the  civilization 
of  peoples.  When  one  of  these  has  ceased  to  be  spoken 
it  can  only  be  understood  through  the  writings  which 
have  survived.  To  continue  to  speak  or  even  to  write  it 
when  its  genius  is  extinguished,  is  to  wish  to  resuscitate 
a  dead  body;  to  affect  the  Roman  toga,  or  to  appear  in 
the  streets  of  Paris  in  the  robe  of  an  ancient  Druid. 

55 


56  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

I  must  frankly  say,  despite  certain  scholastic  pre- 
cedents being  offended  by  my  avowal,  that  I  cannot  ap- 
prove of  those  sorry  compositions,  whether  in  prose  or  in 
verse,  where  modern  Europeans  rack  their  brains  to 
clothe  the  forms  long  since  gone,  with  English,  German 
or  French  thoughts.  I  do  not  doubt  that  this  tendency 
everywhere  in  public  instruction  is  singularly  harmful  to 
the  advancement  of  studies,  and  that  the  constraint  of 
modern  ideas  to  adapt  themselves  to  ancient  forms  is  an 
attitude  which  checks  what  the  ancient  ideas  might  pass 
on  in  the  modern  forms.  If  Hesiod  and  Homer  are  not 
perfectly  understood;  if  Plato  himself  offers  obscurity, 
for  what  reason  is  this  so?  For  no  other  reason  save  that 
instead  of  seeking  to  understand  their  tongue,  one  has 
foolishly  attempted  to  speak  or  write  it. 

The  grammar  of  the  ancient  tongues  is  not  therefore, 
either  the  art  of  speaking  or  even  of  writing  them,  since 
the  sound  is  extinct  and  since  the  signs  have  lost  their 
relations  with  the  ideas ;  but  the  grammar  of  these  tongues 
is  the  art  of  understanding  them,  of  penetrating  the  geni- 
us which  has  presided  at  their  formation,  of  going  back 
to  their  source,  and  by  the  aid  of  the  ideas  which  they 
have  preserved  and  the  knowledge  which  they  have  pro- 
cured, of  enriching  modern  idioms  and  enlightening  their 
progress. 

So  then,  while  proposing  to  give  an  Hebraic  gram- 
mar, my  object  is  assuredly  not  to  teach  anyone  either 
to  speak  or  to  write  this  tongue;  that  preposterous  care 
should  be  left  to  the  rabbis  of  the  synagogues.  These 
rabbis,  after  tormenting  themselves  over  the  value  of  the 
accents  and  the  vowel  points,  have  been  able  to  continue 
their  cantillation  of  certain  barbarous  sounds;  they  have 
been  indeed  able  to  compose  some  crude  books,  as  hetero- 
geneous in  substance  as  in  form,  but  the  fruit  of  so  many 
pains  has  been  to  ignore  utterly  the  signification  of  the 
sole  Book  which  remained  to  them,  and  to  make  them- 
selves more  and  more  incapable  of  defending  their  law- 


PURPOSE  OF  THIS  GRAMMAR  57 

maker,  one  of  the  noblest  men  that  the  earth  has  produc- 
ed, from  the  increased  attacks  that  have  never  ceased  to 
be  directed  against  him  by  those  who  knew  him  only 
through  the  thick  clouds  with  which  he  had  been  envelop- 
ed by  his  translators.*  For,  as  I  have  sufficiently  intim- 
ated, the  Book  of  Moses  has  never  been  accurately  trans- 
lated. The  most  ancient  versions  of  the  Sepher  which 
we  possess,  such  as  those  of  the  Samaritans,  the  Chaldaic 
Targums,  the  Greek  version  of  the  Septuagint  and  the 
Latin  Vulgate,  render  only  the  grossest  and  most  exterior 
forms  without  attaining  to  the  spirit  which  animates 
them  in  the  original.  I  might  compare  them  appropriate- 
ly with  those  disguises  which  were  used  in  the  ancient 
mysteries, 1  or  even  with  those '  symbolic  figures  which 
were  used  by  the  initiates ;  the  small  figures  of  satyrs  and 
of  Sileni  that  were  brought  from  Eleusis.  There  was 
nothing  more  absurd  and  grotesque  than  their  outward 
appearance,  upon  opening  them,  however,  by  means  of  a 
secret  spring,  there  were  found  all  the  divinities  of  Olym- 
pus. Plato  speaks  of  this  pleasing  allegory  in  his  dia- 
logue of  the  Banquet  and  applies  it  to  Socrates  through 
the  medium  of  Alcibiades. 

It  is  because  they  saw  only  these  exterior  and  mate- 
rial forms  of  the  Sepher,  and  because  they  knew  not  how 
to  make  use  of  the  secret  which  could  disclose  its  spiritual 
and  divine  forms,  that  the  Sadducees  fell  into  material- 
ism and  denied  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 2  It  is  well 
known  how  much  Moses  has  been  calumniated  by  modern 
philosophers  upon  the  same  subject. 8  Freret  has  not 
failed  to  quote  all  those  who,  like  him,  have  ranked  him 
among  the  materialists. 

*  The  most  famous  hereslarchs,  Valentine,  Marclon  and  Manes  re- 
jected scornfully  the  writings  of  Moses  which  they  believed  emanated 
from  an  evil  principle. 

1  Apul.  I.  XL. 

2  Joseph.  Antig.  I.  XIII.  g. 

8  Freret:  des  Apol.  de  la  Rel  chrtt.  ch.  II. 


58  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

When  I  say  that  the  rabbis  of  the  synagogues  have 
put  themselves  beyond  the  state  of  defending  their  law- 
giver, I  wish  it  to  be  understood  that  I  speak  only  of  those 
who,  holding  to  the  most  meticulous  observances  of  the 
Masorah,  have  never  penetrated  the  secret  of  the  sanctu- 
ary. Doubtless  1  iere  are  many  to  whom  the  genius  of  the 
Hebraic  tongue  is  not  foreign.  But  a  sacred  duty  im- 
poses upon  them  an  inviolable  silence.  4  It  is  said,  that 
they  hold  the  version  of  the  Hellenists  in  abomination. 
They  attribute  to  it  all  the  evils  which  they  have  suffered. 
Alarmed  at  its  use  against  them  by  the  Christians  in  the 
early  ages  of  the  Church,  their  superiors  forbade  them 
thereafter  to  write  the  Sepher  in  other  characters  than 
the  Hebraic,  and  doomed  to  execration  those  among  them 
who  should  betray  the  mysteries  and  teach  the  Christians 
the  principles  of  their  tongue.  One  ought  therefore  to 
mistrust  their  exterior  doctrine.  Those  of  the  rabbis  who 
were  initiated  kept  silence,  as  Moses,  son  of  Maimon, 
called  Maimonides,  expressly  said : 5  those  who  were  not, 
had  as  little  real  knowledge  of  Hebrew,  as  the  least  learn- 
ed of  the  Christians.  They  wavered  in  the  same  incer- 
titude over  the  meaning  of  the  words,  and  this  incertitude 
was  such  that  they  were  ignorant  even  of  the  name  of 
some  of  the  animals  of  which  it  was  forbidden  them,  or 
commanded  by  the  Law,  to  eat.  6  Richard  Simon  who  has 
furnished  me  with  this  remark,  never  wearies  of  repeat- 
ing how  obscure  is  the  Hebraic  tongue:7  he  quotes  Saint 
Jerome  and  Luther,  wrho  are  agreed  in  saying,  that  the 
words  of  this  tongue  are  equivocal  to  such  an  extent  that 
it  is  often  impossible  to  determine  the  meaning.8  Origen, 
according  to  him,  was  persuaded  of  this  truth;  Calvin 
felt  it  and  Cardinal  Cajetan  himself,  was  convinced. 9  It 

4  Richard  Simon,  Hist.  Crit.  L.  I.  ch.  17 

5  Mor.  Nebuc.     P.  II.  ch.  29. 

6  Bochart:   de  Sacr.  animal. 
1  Ibid.  I.  III.  ch.  2. 

8  Hieron.    Apelog.  adv.  Ruff.  I.  1.  Luther,  Comment.  Genes. 

9  Cajetan,  Comment,  in  Psalm. 


PURPOSE  OF  THIS  GRAMMAR  59 

was  Father  Morin  who  took  advantage  of  this  obscurity 
to  consider  the  authors  of  the  Septuagint  version  as  so 
many  prophets ; 10  for,  he  said,  God  had  no  other  means 
of  fixing  the  signification  of  the  Hebrew  words. 

This  reason  or  Father  Morin,  somewhat  far  from  be- 
ing decisive,  has  not  hindered  the  real  thinkers,  and  Rich- 
ard Simon  particularly,  from  earnestly  wishing  that  the 
Hebraic  tongue  lost  for  so  long  a  time,  might  finally  be 
reestablished. u  He  did  not  conceal  the  immense  diffi- 
culties that  such  an  undertaking  entailed.  He  saw  clear- 
ly that  it  would  be  necessary  to  study  this  tongue  in  a 
manner  very  different  from  the  one  hitherto  adopted,  and 
far  from  making  use  of  the  grammars  and  dictionaries 
available,  he  regarded  them,  on  the  contrary,  as  the  most 
dangerous  obstacles;  for,  he  says,  these  grammars  and 
these  dictionaries  are  worth  nothing.  All  those  who  have 
had  occasion  to  apply  their  rules  and  to  make  use  of  their 
interpretations  have  felt  their  insufficiency. 12  Forster 
who  had  seen  the  evil  sought  in  vain  the  means  to  remedy 
it.  He  lacked  the  force  for  that:  both  time  and  men,  as 
well  as  his  own  prejudices  were  too  much  opposed.* 

I  have  said  enough  in  my  Dissertation  concerning 
what  had  been  the  occasion  and  the  object  of  my  studies. 
When  I  conceived  the  plan  with  which  I  am  now  occu- 
pied, I  knew  neither  Richard  Simon  nor  Forster,  nor  any 
of  the  thinkers  who,  agreeing  in  regarding  the  Hebraic 
tongue  as  lost,  had  made  endeavours  for,  or  had  hoped  to 
succeed  in  its  reestablishment ;  but  truth  is  absolute,  and 
it  is  truth  which  has  engaged  me  in  a  difficult  under- 
taking ;  it  is  truth  which  will  sustain  me  in  it ;  I  now  pur- 
sue my  course. 

10  Exercit.  Bill.  L.  I.  ex.  VI.  ch.  2 

11  Hist.  crit.  I.  III.  ch.  2. 

12  Hist.  Crit.  I.  III.  ch.  3. 

*  The  rabbis  themselves  have  not  been  more  fortunate,  as  oue  can 
see  in  the  grammar  ot  Abraham  de  Balmes  and  in  several  other  works. 


§  II. 

ETYMOLOGY  AND  DEFINITION. 

The  word  grammar  has  come  down  to  us  from  the 
Greeks,  through  the  Latins;  but  its  origin  goes  back  much 
further.  Its  real  etymology  is  found  in  the  root  "U  ,"D  ,")p 
(gre,  ere,  kre),  which  in  Hebrew,  Arabic  or  Chaldaic,  pre 
&ents  always  the  idea  of  engraving,  of  character  or  of 
writing,  and  which  as  verb  is  used  to  express,  according 
to  the  circumstances,  the  action  of  engraving,  of  charac- 
terizing, of  writing,  of  proclaiming,  of  reading,  of  de- 
claiming, etc.  The  Greek  word  YPW*TIXT]  signifies  pro- 
perly the  science  of  characters,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  char- 
acteristic signs  by  means  of  which  man  expresses  his 
thought. 

As  has  been  very  plainly  seen  by  Court  de  GSbelin, 
he  who,  of  all  the  archaeologists  has  penetrated  deepest  in- 
to the  genius  of  tongues,  there  exist  two  kinds  of  gram- 
mars: the  one,  universal,  and  the  other,  particular.  The 
universal  grammar  reveals  the  spirit  of  man  in  general ; 
the  particular  grammars  develop  the  individual  spirit  of 
a  people,  indicate  the  state  of  its  civilization,  its  know- 
ledge and  its  prejudices.  The  first,  is  founded  upon 
nature,  and  rests  upon  the  basis  of  the  universality  of 
things;  the  others,  are  modified  according  to  opinion, 
places  and  times.  All  the  particular  grammars  have 
a  common  basis  by  which  they  resemble  each  other 
and  which  constitutes  the  universal  grammar  from 
which  they  emanate : 13  for,  says  this  laborious  writer, 
"these  particular  grammars,  after  having  received  the  life 
of  the  universal  grammar,  react  in  their  turn  upon  their 

18  Mond.  prim.  Gramm.  univ.  t.  I,  ch.  13,  14  et  15. 
60 


ETYMOLOGY  AND  DEFINITION  61 

mother,   to   which   they  give  new   force  to   bring  forth 
stronger  and  more  fruitful  off-shoots." 

I  quote  here  the  opinion  of  this  man  whose  gram- 
matical knowledge  cannot  be  contested,  in  order  to  make 
it  understood,  that  wishing  to  initiate  my  readers  into  the 
inner  genius  of  the  Hebraic  tongue,  I  must  needs  give  to 
that  tongue  its  own  grammar ;  that  is  to  say,  its  idiomatic 
and  primitive  grammar,  which,  holding  to  the  universal 
grammar  by  the  points  most  radical  and  nearest  to  its 
basis,  will  nevertheless,  be  very  different  from  the  par- 
ticular grammars  upon  which  it  has  been  modelled  up  to 
this  time. 

This  grammar  will  bear  no  resemblance  to  that  of 
the  Greeks  or  that  of  the  Latins,  because  it  is  neither  the 
idiom  of  Plato  nor  that  of  Titus  Livius  which  I  wish  to 
teach,  but  that  of  Moses.  I  am  convinced  that  the  prin- 
cipal difficulties  in  studying  Hebrew  are  due  to  the  adop- 
tion of  Latin  forms,  which  have  caused  a  simple  and  easy 
tongue  to  become  a  species  of  scholastic  phantom  whose 
difficulty  is  proverbial. 

For,  I  must  say  with  sincerity,  that  Hebrew  is  not 
such  as  it  has  ordinarily  been  represented.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  set  aside  the  ridiculous  prejudice  that  has  been 
formed  concerning  it  and  be  fully  persuaded  that  the  first 
difficulties  of  the  characters  being  overcome,  all  that  is 
necessary  is  six  months  closely  sustained  application. 

I  have  said  enough  regarding  the  advantages  of  this 
study,  so  that  I  need  not  dwell  further  on  this  subject. 
I  shall  only  repeat,  that  without  the  knowledge  of  this 
typical  tongue,  one  of  the  fundamental  parts  of  universal 
grammar  will  always  be  unknown,  and  it  will  be  impos- 
sible to  proceed  with  certainty  in  the  vast  and  useful 
field  of  etymology. 

As  my  intention  is  therefore  to  differ  considerably 
from  the  method  of  the  Hebraists  I  shall  avoid  entering 
into  the  detail  of  their  works.  Besides  they  are  suffi- 
ciently well  known.  I  shall  limit  myself  here  to  indicate 


C2          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

summarily,  those  of  the  rabbis  whose  ideas  offer  some 
analogy  to  mine. 

The  Hebraic  tongue  having  become  absolutely  lost 
during  the  captivity  of  Babylon,  all  grammatical  system 
was  also  lost.  From  that  time  nothing  is  found  by  which 
we  can  infer  that  the  Jews  possessed  a  grammar.  At 
least,  it  is  certain  that  the  crude  dialect  which  was  cur- 
rent in  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  which 
is  found  employed  in  the  Talmud  of  that  city,  reads  more 
like  a  barbarous  jargon  than  like  an  idiom  subject  to  fix- 
ed rules.  If  anything  leads  me  to  believe  that  this  de- 
generated tongue  preserved  a  sort  of  grammatical  system, 
before  the  captivity  and  while  Hebrew  was  still  the  vul- 
gar tongue,  it  is  the  fact  that  a  great  difference  is  found 
in  the  style  of  writing  of  certain  writers.  Jeremiah,  for 
example,  who  was  a  man  of  the  people,  wrote  evidently 
without  any  understanding  of  his  tongue,  not  concerning 
himself  either  with  gender,  number  or  verbal  tense; 
whilst  Isaiah,  on  the  contrary,  whose  instruction  had  been 
most  complete,  observes  rigorously  these  modifications 
and  prides  himself  on  writing  with  as  much  elegance  as 
purity. 

But  at  last,  as  I  have  just  said,  all  grammatical  sys- 
tem was  lost  with  the  Hebraic  tongue.  The  most  learned 
Hebraists  are  agreed  in  saying,  that  although,  from  the 
times  of  the  earliest  Hellenist  interpreters,  it  had  been 
the  custom  to  explain  the  Hebrew,  there  had  been,  how- 
ever, no  grammar  reduced  to  an  art. 

The  Jews,  dispersed  and  persecuted  after  the  ruin  of 
Jerusalem,  were  buried  in  ignorance  for  a  long  time. 
The  school  of  Tiberias,  where  Saint  Jerome  had  gone, 
possessed  no  principle  of  grammar.  The  Arabs  were  the 
first  to  remedy  this  defect.  Europe  was  at  that  time 
plunged  in  darkness.  Arabia,  placed  between  Asia  and 
Africa,  reanimated  for  a  moment  their  ancient  splendour. 

The  rabbis  are  all  of  this  sentiment.  They  assert 
that  those  of  their  nation  who  began  to  turn  their  atten- 


ETYMOLOGY  AND   DEFINITION  63 

tion  to  grammar  did  so  only  in  imitation  of  the  Arabs. 
The  first  books  which  they  wrote  on  grammar  were  in 
Arabic.  After  Saadia-Gaon,  who  appears  to  have  laid 
the  foundation,  the  most  ancient  is  Juda-Hayyuj.  The 
opinion  of  the  latter  is  remarkable. 14  He  is  the  first  to 
speak,  in  his  work,  of  the  letters  which  are  hidden  and 
those  which  are  added.  The  greatest  secret  of  the  Heb- 
raic tongue  consists,  according  to  him,  of  knowing  how  to 
distinguish  these  sorts  of  letters,  and  to  mark  precisely 
those  which  are  of  the  substance  of  the  words,  and  those 
which  are  not.  He  states  that  the  secret  of  these  letters 
is  known  to  but  few  persons,  and  in  this  he  takes  up  again 
the  ignorance  of  the  rabbis  of  his  time,  who,  lacking  this 
understanding  were  unable  to  reduce  the  words  to  their 
true  roots  to  discover  their  meaning. 

The  opinion  of  Juda-Hayyuj  is  confirmed  by  that  of 
Jonah,  one  of  the  best  grammarians  the  Jews  have  ever 
had.  He  declares  at  the  beginning  of  his  book,  that  the 
Hebraic  tongue  has  been  lost,  and  that  it  has  been  re- 
established as  well  as  possible  by  means  of  the  neighbour- 
ing idioms.  He  reprimands  the  rabbis  sharply  for  put- 
ting among  the  number  of  radicals,  many  letters  which 
are  only  accessories.  He  lays  great  stress  upon  the  in- 
trinsic value  of  each  character,  relates  carefully  their 
various  peculiarities  and  shows  their  different  relations 
with  regard  to  the  verb. 

The  works  of  Juda-Hayyuj  and  those  of  Jonah  have 
never  been  printed,  although  they  have  been  translated 
from  the  Arabic  into  rabbinical  Hebrew.  The  learned 
Pocock  who  has  read  the  books  of  Jonah  in  Arabic,  un- 
der the  name  of  Ebn-Jannehius,  quotes  them  with  praise. 
Aben  Ezra  has  followed  the  method  indicated  by  these 
two  ancient  grammarians  in  his  two  books  entitled  ZaJiot 
and  Moznayim.  David  Kimchi  diviates  more.  The  Chris 
tian  Hebraists  have  followed  Kimchi  more  willingly  thnn 
they  have  Aben  Ezra,  as  much  on  account  of  the  clear 

14  Richard  Simon.  Hist.  Crtt.  L.  I.  ch.  31. 


64  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

ness  of  his  style,  as  of  his  method  which  is  easier.  But  iL 
this  they  have  committed  a  fault  which  they  have  aggrav- 
ated further  by  adopting,  without  examining  them,  near- 
ly all  of  the  opinions  of  Elijah  Levita,  ambitious  and  sys- 
tematic writer,  and  regarded  as  a  deserter  and  apostate 
by  his  nation. 

I  dispense  with  mentioning  other  Jewish  grammar- 
ians.* I  have  only  entered  into  certain  details  with  regard 
to  Juda-Hayyuj,  Jonah  and  Aben  Ezra,  because  I  have 
strong  reasons  for  thinking,  as  will  be  shown  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  work,  that  they  have  penetrated  to  a 
certain  point,  the  secret  of  the  Essenian  sanctuary,  either 
by  the  sole  force  of  their  genius  or  by  the  effect  of  some 
oral  communication. 

•  Although  Maimonides  is  not,  properly  speaking,  a  grammarian, 
his  way  of  looking  at  things  coincides  too  well  with  my  principles  to 
pass  over  them  entirely  in  silence.  This  judicious  writer  teaches  that 
as  the  greater  part  of  the  words  offer,  in  Hebrew,  a  generic,  universal 
and  almost  always  uncertain  meaning,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  the 
sphere  of  activity  which  they  embrace  in  their  diverse  acceptations, 
so  as  to  apply  that  which  agrees  best  with  the  matter  of  which  he  is 
treating.  After  having  pointed  out,  that  in  this  ancient  idiom,  very 
few  words  exist  for  an  endless  series  of  things,  he  recommends  mak- 
ing a  long  study  of  it,  and  having  the  attention  always  fixed  upon  the 
particular  subject  to  which  the  word  is  especially  applied.  He  is  in- 
defatigable in  recommending,  as  can  be  seen  in  the  fifth  chapter  of 
his  book,  long  meditation  before  restricting  the  meaning  of  a  word, 
and  above  all,  renunciation  of  all  prejudices  if  one  would  avoid  falling 
Into  error, 


§  III. 

DIVISION  OF  GRAMMAR: 
PARTS  OF  SPEECH. 

I  have  announced  that  I  was  about  to  reestablish  the 
Hebraic  tongue  in  its  own  grammar.  I  claim  a  little  at- 
tention, since  the  subject  is  new,  and  I  am  obliged  to  pre- 
sent certain  ideas  but  little  familiar,  and  also  since  it  is 
possible  that  there  might  not  be  time  for  me  to  develop 
them  to  the  necessary  extent. 

The  modern  grammarians  have  varied  greatly  con- 
cerning the  number  of  what  they  call,  parts  of  speech. 
Now,  they  understand  by  parts  of  speech,  the  classified 
materials  of  speech;  for  if  the  idea  is  one,  they  say,  the 
expression  is  divisible,  and  from  this  divisibility  arises 
necessarily  in  the  signs,  diverse  modifications  and  words 
of  many  kinds. 

These  diverse  modifications  and  these  words  of  many 
kinds  have,  as  I  have  said,  tried  the  sagacity  of  the  gram- 
marian. Plato  and  his  disciples  only  recognized  two 
kinds,  the  noun  and  the  verb ; 15  neglecting  in  this,  the 
more  ancient  opinion  which,  according  to  the  testimony 
of  Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus  and  Quintilian,  admitted 
three,  the  noun,  the  verb  and  the  conjunction. 16  Aris- 
totfe,  more  to  draw  away  from  the  doctrine  of  Plato  than 
to  approach  that  of  the  ancients,  counted  four:  the  noun, 
the  verb,  the  article  and  the  conjunction. 17  The  Stoics 
acknowledged  five,  distinguishing  the  noun  as  proper  and 
appellative. 18  Soon  the  Greek  grammarians,  and  after 

is  Plat,  in  Sophist.  Prise.  L.  fl.  Apollon.  Syn. 

i«  Denys  Halyc,  de  Struct,  oral.    2.  Quint.  Inst.  L.  I.  ch.  4. 

IT  Arist.  Poet.  ch.  20. 

18  Diog.  Laert.  L.  VIII,  §.  57. 

65 


66  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

them  the  Latins,  separated  the  pronoun  from  the  noun, 
the  adverb  from  the  verb,  the  preposition  from  the  con- 
junction and  the  interjection  from  the  article.  Among  the 
moderns,  some  have  wished  to  distinguish  the  adjective 
from  the  noun;  others,  to  join  them;  again,  some  have 
united  the  article  with  the  adjective,  and  others,  the  pro- 
noun with  the  noun.  Nearly  all  have  brought  into  their 
work  the  spirit  of  the  system  or  prejudices  of  their  school. 
Court  de  Gebelin 19  who  should  have  preferred  the  sim- 
plicity of  Plato  to  the  profusion  of  the  Latin  gram- 
matists,  has  had  the  weakness  to  follow  the  latter  and 
even  to  surpass  them,  by  counting  ten  parts  of  speech 
and  giving  the  participle  as  one  of  them. 

As  for  me,  without  further  notice  of  these  vain  "dis- 
putes, I  shall  recognize  in  the  Hebraic  tongue  only  three 
parts  of  speech  produced  by  a  fourth  which  they  in  their 
turn  produce.  These  three  parts  are  the  Noun,  the  Verb, 
and  the  Relation  t  Dt5>  0%em,7#d  phahal,  ff7D  millah.  The 
fourth  is  the  Sign,  niN  aoth* 

Before  examining  these  three  parts  of  speech,  the  'de- 
nomination of  which  is  quite  well  known,  let  us  see  what 

19  Gramm.  univ.  L.  II.  ch.  2.  3  et  4. 

*  An  English  grammarian  named  Harris,  better  rhetorician  than 
able  dialectician,  has  perhaps  believed  himself  nearer  to  Plato  and 
Aristotle,  by  recognizing  at  first  only  t\vo  things  in  nature,  the  sub' 
stance  and  the  attribute,  and  by  dividing  the  words  into  principals  and 
accessories.  According  to  him  one  should  regard  as  principal  words, 
the  substantive  and  the  attributive,  in  other  words,  the  noun  and  the 
verb;  as  accessory  words,  the  definitive  and  the  connective,  that  is 
to  say,  the  article  and  the  conjunction.  Thus  this  writer,  worthy  pupil 
of  Locke,  but  far  from  being  a  disciple  of  Plato,  regards  the  verb  only 
as  an  attribute  of  the  noun.  "To  think,"  he  said,  "is  an  attribute  of 
man;  to  be  white,  is  an  attribute  of  the  swan;  to  fly,  an  attribute  of 
the  eagle,  etc."  (Hermes,  L.  I.  ch.  3.)  It  is  difficult  by  making  sue* 
grammars,  to  go  far  in  the  understanding  of  speech.  To  deny  the 
absolute  existence  of  the  verb,  or  to  make  it  an  attribute  of  the  sub- 
stance, is  to  be  very  far  from  Plato,  who  comprises  in  it  the  very 
essence  of  language;  but  very  near  to  Cabanis  who  makes  the  soul  a 
faculty  of  the  body. 


PARTS  OF  SPEECH  67 

is  the  fourth,  which  I  have  just  mentioned  for  the  first 
time. 

By  Sign,  I  understand  all  the  exterior  means  of  which 
man  makes  use  to  manifest  his  ideas.  The  elements  of  the 
sign  are  voice,  gesture  and  traced  characters:  its  mater- 
ials, sound,  movement  and  light.  The  universal  grammar 
ought  especially  to  be  occupied  with,  and  to  understand 
its  elements:  it  ought,  according  to  Court  de  Gebelin,  to 
distinguish  the  sounds  of  the  voice,  to  regulate  the  ges- 
tures, and  preside  at  the  invention  of  the  characters. 20 
The  more  closely  a  particular  grammar  is  related  to  the 
universal  grammar,  the  more  it  has  need  to  be  concerned 
with  the  sign.  This  is  why  we  shall  give  very  consider- 
able attention  to  this  in  regard  to  one  of  its  elements, — 
the  traced  characters;  for,  as  far  as  the  voice  and  gesture 
are  concerned,  they  have  disappeared  long  ago  and  the 
traces  they  have  left  are  too  vague  to  be  taken  up  by  the 
Hebraic  grammar,  such  as  I  have  conceived  it  to  be. 

Every  sign  produced  exteriorly  is  a  noun;  for  other- 
wise it  would  be  nothing.  It  is,  therefore,  the  noun  which 
is  the  basis  of  language;  it  is,  therefore,  the  noun  which 
furnishes  the  substance  of  the  verb,  that  of  the  relation, 
and  even  that  of  the  sign  which  has  produced  it.  The 
noun  is  everything  for  exterior  man,  everything  that  he 
can  understand  by  means  of  his  senses.  The  verb  is  con- 
ceived only  by  the  mind,  and  the  relation  is  only  an  ab- 
straction of  thought. 

There  exists  only  one  sole  Verb,  absolute,  indepen- 
dent, creative  and  inconceivable  for  man  himself  whom  it 
penetrates,  and  by  whom  it  allows  itself  to  be  felt:  it  is 
the  verb  to  be-being,  expressed  in  Hebrew  by  the  intel- 
lectual sign  1  o,  placed  between  a  double  root  of  life 
J"Tin,  hoeh. 

It  is  this  verb,  unique  and  universal,  which,  pene- 
trating a  mass  of  innumerable  nouns  that  receive  their 

20  Gramm,  univ.  L.  I,  ch,  8.  et  9. 


68  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

existence  from  the  sign,  forms  particular  verbs.  It  is  the 
universal  soul.  The  particular  verbs  are  only  animated 
nouns. 

The  relations  arc  abstracted  by  thought  from  signs, 
nouns  or  verbs,  and  incline  toward  the  sign  as  toward 
their  common  origin. 

We  shall  examine  in  particular  each  of  these  four 
parts  of  speech  in  the  following  order :  the  Sign,  the  Rela- 
tion, the  Noun  and  the  Verb,  concerning  which  I  have  as 
yet  given  only  general  ideas.  In  terminating  this  chap- 
ter, the  Hebrew  alphabet,  which  it  is  indispensable  to  un- 
derstand before  going  further,  is  now  added.  I  have  taken 
pains  to  accompany  it  with  another  comparative  alphabet 
of  Samaritan,  Syriac,  Arabic  and  Greek  characters;  so  as 
to  facilitate  the  reading  of  words  in  these  tongues,  which 
I  shall  be  compelled  to  cite  in  somewhat  large  number, 
in  my  radical  vocabulary  and  in  my  notes  upon  the  Cos- 
mogony of  Moses. 

It  must  be  observed,  as  regards  the  comparative  Al- 
phabet, that  it  follows  the  order  of  the  Hebraic  charac- 
ters. This  order  is  the  same  for  the  Samaritan  and 
Syriac;  but  as  the  Arabs  and  Greeks  have  greatly  invert- 
ed this  order,  I  have  been  obliged  to  change  somewhat  tho 
idiomatic  arrangement  of  their  characters,  to  put  them 
in  relation  to  those  of  the  Hebrews.  When  I  have  encoun- 
tered in  these  last  two  tongues,  characters  which  have 
no  analogues  in  the  first  three,  I  have  decided  to  place 
them  immediately  after  those  with  which  they  offer  the 
closest  relations, 


Hebraic  Alphabet 

and 

Comparative  Alphabet 


HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

HEBRAIC  ALPHABET 


N  A,  a, 

n  B,  b,  bh. 
J  G,  g,  gh. 
1  D,  d,  dh. 

H  H,  he,  h. 


(it  is 


111 
f 

n 

D 
t 

"P 

DD 

D 


f  V 


mother- vowel,  this  is  a:  as  consonant, 
is  a  very  soft  aspiration. 
English  b. 

English  g  before  a,  o,  u. 
English  d. 

as  mother- vowel,  this  is  e:  as  consonant, 
it  is  a  simple  aspiration:  h. 
( 0,  o,  W  or    (as  mother- vowel,  this  is  o,  u,  ou:  as  con- 
(U,  u,  y.          (sonant,  it  is  v,  w  or  /. 
Z,  z.  English  z. 

as  mother- vowel,  this  is  he:  as  consonant, 
it  is  a  chest  aspiration :  h,  or  ch. 
English  t. 

(as  mother- vowel,  this  is  i  or  at:  as  con- 
\sonant,  it  is  a  whispering  aspiration:  j. 
German  ch,  Spanish  iota,  Greek  x- 


H,  he,  h,  ch. 

T,  t. 

I,  i,  J,  J. 
C,  c,  ch. 


same  as  English  analogues. 


M,  m. 

S,  s. 

^as  mother- vowel,  it  is  the  Arabic  £  ho: 
H,  ho,  gh,  gho  \  as  consonant,  it  is  a  guttural  aspiration, 

Uhe  nasal  gh,  the  Arabic  j; 
Greek    A. 


PH,  ph. 
TZ,  tz. 
K,  k,  qn. 
R,  r. 

SH,  sh. 

TH,  th. 


Same  as  English. 

French  cA,  or  English 
English  th  or  Greek  6. 


COMPARATIVE  ALPHABET 

COMPARATIVE  ALPHABET 


Hebrew            Sowar'tan       Syriac 

Arabic          Cfcck                                 Frcndf 

t**t  K  aleph.        ft           1 

U           A  a                      A  d. 

3  belh.         ^         9 

<^A  x  J        B  |3  6             B  b. 

Jl  ghimcl.       1         ^ 

,»>.     r/r          Gggh. 

1  dalelh.       T         9 

JLi>        A«J                 Dd. 

j.i                             DZ  dz,  d  wcaft. 

v,^,                             DH  dh,  dsfronflr. 

j—  i  n  hi.         ^      o» 

vA       E«                 E.He. 

•n*l  wao.           fc         o 

9       Oo,ft«,Yw    Oo,OUou,Uu. 

T  zaTn.          5          1 

Z  C                Z  z. 

n  beih.      n      ~ 

f*£       Hn                tiW. 

^  i.        X  X                 Cft  ch- 

U  teth.          7         3 

0*xy        Tt?               Tt. 

1>                             Tfi  th,  t  «<rw»0. 

»  Yod.           flf         •• 

;JA3          I.                       It 

•j  3  caph.         2t         a 

'::  xs                   Kik  kb. 

t7 

^S  lamed.       2         ^ 

Jl)        AX                 LI 

CDD  mem.        ia         ^ 

>        M  f*                 M-  m- 

. 

>XJ       W  v               N  n. 

7  i  noun.         Jj          * 

9 

D  samech.     v        *tt 

J~AU       2Cff€           ^s> 

^  f>0                            SS  ss«  s  «?ronfir. 

y  haYn.         V 

'Tjip        OY«              flho.wh. 
iip                             CHgti 

P]  a  phfe.          3        a 

Si        <p?                 PHph»Pf. 

n«^         PP. 

V  ^               PS  ps. 

y  X  tzad.         m         5 
p  coph.         Y         * 

Uy                                                                       XZ    tZ, 

£j        K>                 Cc.KWQq. 

n 

^  resch.       -^          J 

1      Pp*            R  r- 

\P  shin.         *"•         * 

*  ^                             SH  sh. 

r->  n  thao.         Af         ^ 

4^£>*       09^            Tilth. 

CHAPTER  II. 

SIGNS  CONSIDERED  AS  CHARACTERS. 

§  I. 
HEBRAIC  ALPHABET:  ITS  VOWELS:  ITS  ORIGIN. 

Before  examining  what  the  signification  of  the  char- 
acters which  we  have  just  laid  down  can  be,  it  is  well  to 
see  what  is  their  relative  value. 

The  first  division  which  is  established  here  is  that 
which  distinguishes  them  as  vowels  and  as  consonants. 
I  would  have  much  to  do  if  I  related  in  detail  all  that  has 
been  said,  for  and  against  the  existence  of  the  Hebraic 
vowels.  These  insipid  questions  might  have  been  solved 
long  ago,  if  those  who  had  raised  them  had  taken  the 
trouble  to  examine  seriously  the  object  of  their  dispute. 
But  that  was  the  thing  concerning  which  they  thought  the 
least.  Some  had  only  a  scholastic  erudition  which  took 
cognizance  of  the  material  of  the  tongue;  others,  who 
had  a  critical  faculty  and  a  philosophic  mind  were  often 
ignorant  even  of  the  form  of  the  Oriental  characters. 

I  ask  in  all  good  faith,  how  the  alphabet  of  the  Heb- 
rews could  have  lacked  the  proper  characters  to  designate 
the  vowels,  since  it  is  known  that  the  Egyptians  who  were 
their  masters  in  all  the  sciences,  possessed  these  charac- 
ters and  made  use  of  them,  according  to  the  report  of  De- 
metrius of  Phalereus,  to  note  their  music  and  to  solmizate 
it;  since  it  is  known,  by  the  account  of  Horus-Apollonius. 
that  there  were  seven  of  these  characters;1  since  it  is 
known  that  the  Phoenicians,  close  neighbours  of  the  Heb- 
rews, used  these  vocal  characters  to  designate  the  seven 
planets. 2  Porphyry  testifies  positively  to  this  in  his 

1  ffyeroglyph.  L.  II.  29. 

2  Cedren.  p.  169. 

73 


74  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Commentary  upon  the  grammarian  Dionysius  Thrax,8 
which  confirms  unquestionably,  the  inscription  found  at 
Milet,  and  concerning  which  we  possess  a  learned  disser- 
tation by  Barthelemy.  4  This  inscription  includes  invoca- 
tions addressed  to  the  seven  planetary  spirits.  Each  spirit 
is  designated  by  a  name  composed  of  seven  vowels  and  be- 
ginning with  the  vowel  especially  consecrated  to  the 
planet  which  it  governs. 

Let  us  hesitate  no  longer  to  say  that  the  Hebrew  al- 
phabet has  characters  whose  primitive  purpose  was  to 
distinguish  the  vowels;  these  characters  are  seven  in 
number. 

N  soft  vowel,  represented  by  a. 

J"T  stronger  vowel,  represented  by  e,  h. 

n  very  strong  pectoral  vowel,  represented  by  e,  h,  ch. 

1  indistinct,  dark  vowel,  represented  by  ou,  u,  y. 

1   brilliant  vowel,  represented  by  o. 

*  hard  vowel,  represented  by  i. 

y  deep  and  guttural  vowel,  represented  by  ho,  who. 

Besides  these  vocal  characters,  it  is  further  neces- 
sary to  know  that  the  Hebrew  alphabet  admits  a  vowel 
which  I  shall  call  consonantal  or  vague,  because  it  is  in- 
herent in  the  consonant,  goes  with  it,  is  not  distinguish- 
able, and  attaches  to  it  a  sound  always  implied.  This 
sound  is  indifferently  a,  e,  o,  for  we  ought  not  to  believe 
that  the  vocal  sound  which  accompanies  the  consonants 
has  been  as  fixed  in  the  ancient  tongues  of  the  Orient  as 
it  has  become  in  the  modern  tongues  of  Europe.  The 
word  ^^D,  which  signifies  a  king,  is  pronounced  indiffer- 
ently malach,  melech,  moloch,  and  even  milich;  with  a 
faint  sound  of  the  voice.  This  indifference  in  the  vocal 
sound  would  not  have  existed  if  a  written  vowel  had  been 
inserted  between  the  consonants  which  compose  it;  then 
the  sound  would  have  become  fixed  and  striking,  but  of 

3  M6m.  de  Gotting.  T.  I.  p.  251.  sur  Vouvrage  de  D€m6trius  de  Phal 

IlepJ   'EpM^e/aj. 

«  Mtm.  de  VAcad.  des  Belles-Lettres,  T.  XLI.  p.  514. 


SIGNS  AS  CHARACTERS  75 

ten  the  sense  would  also  have  been  changed.  Thus,  for 
example,  the  word  *]70,  receiving  the  mother  vowel  N ,  as 
in  "JN^D  ,  signifies  no  longer  simply  a  king,  but  a  divine, 
eternal  emanation;  an  eon,  an  angel. 

When  it  was  said  that  the  Hebrew  words  were  writ- 
ten without  vowels,  it  was  not  understood,and  Boulanger 
who  has  committed  this  mistake  in  his  encyclopaedic  ar- 
ticle, proves  to  me  by  this  alone,  that  he  was  ignorant  of 
the  tongue  of  which  he  wrote. 

All  Hebrew  words  have  vowels  expressed  or  implied, 
that  is  to  say,  mother  vowels  or  consonantal  vowels.  In 
the  origin  of  this  tongue,  or  rather  in  the  origin  of  the 
Egyptian  tongue  from  which  it  is  derived,  the  sages  who 
created  the  alphabet  which  it  has  inherited,  attached  a 
vocal  sound  to  each  consonant,  a  sound  nearly  always 
faint,  without  aspiration,  and  passing  from  the  a>  to  the 
ae,  or  from  the  a  to  the  e,  without  the  least  difficulty ;  they 
reserved  the  written  characters  for  expressing  the  sounds 
more  fixed,  aspirate  or  striking.  This  literal  alphabet, 
whose  antiquity  is  unknown,  has  no  doubt  come  down  to 
us  as  far  as  its  material  characters  are  concerned;  but  as 
to  its  spirit,  it  has  come  down  in  sundry  imitations  that 
have  been  transmitted  to  us  by  the  Samaritans,  Chalde- 
ans, Syrians  and  even  the  Arabs. 

The  Hebraic  alphabet  is  that  of  the  Chaldeans.  The 
characters  are  remarkable  for  their  elegance  of  form  and 
their  clearness.  The  Samaritan  much  more  diffuse,  much 
less  easy  to  read,  is  obviously  anterior  and  belongs  to  a 
more  rude  people.  The  savants  who  have  doubted  the 
anteriority  of  the  Samaritan  character  had  not  examined 
it  with  sufficient  attention.  They  have  feared  besides,  that 
if  once  they  granted  the  priority  of  the  character,  they 
would  be  forced  to  grant  the  priority  of  the  text ;  but  this 
is  a  foolish  fear.  The  Samaritan  text,  although  its  alpha- 
bet may  be  anterior  to  the  Chaldaic  alphabet,  is  neverthe- 
less only  a  simple  copy  of  the  Sepher  of  Moses,  which  the 
politics  of  the  kings  of  Assyria  caused  to  pass  into  Sam- 


76  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

aria,  as  I  have  already  said  in  my  Dissertation;  if  this 
copy  differs  it  is  because  the  priest  who  was  charged  with 
it,  as  one  reads  in  the  Book  of  Kings, 5  either  conformed 
to  the  ideas  of  the  Samaritans  with  whom  he  wished  to 
keep  up  the  schism,  or  he  consulted  manuscripts  by  no 
means  accurate.  It  would  be  ridiculous  to  say  with  Le- 
clerc, 6  that  this  priest  was  the  author  of  the  entire  Seph- 
er;  but  there  is  not  the  least  absurdity  in  thinking  that 
he  was  the  author  of  the  principal  different  readings 
which  are  encountered  there;  for  the  interest  of  the  court 
of  Assyria  which  sent  him  was,  that  he  should  estrange  as 
much  as  possible  th&  Samaritans  and  the  Jews,  and  that 
he  should  stir  up  their  mutual  animosity  by  all  manner 
of  means. 

It  is  therefore  absolutely  impossible  to  deny  the 
Chaldean  origin  of  the  characters  of  which  the  Hebraic 
alphabet  is  composed  today.  The  very  name  of  this  al- 
phabet demonstrates  it  sufficiently.  This  name  written 
thus  /VYIBftt  i"OTO  (chathibah  ashourith)  signifies,  Assy- 
rian writing:  an  epithet  known  to  all  the  rabbis,  and 
to  which  following  the  genius  of  the  Hebraic  tongue, 
nothing  prevents  adding  the  formative  and  local  sign  O 
to  obtain  rVWXD  PQTG  (chathibah  mashourith),  writ- 
ing in  the  Assyrian  style.  This  is  the  quite  simple  de- 
nomination of  this  alphabet;  a  denomination  in  which, 
through  a  very  singular  abuse  of  words,  this  same  Elijah 
Levita,  of  whom  I  have  had  occasion  to  speak,  insisted  on 
seeing  the  Masorites  of  Tiberias;  thus  confusing  beyond 
any  criticism,  the  ancient  Mashorah  with  the  modern 
Masorah,  and  the  origin  of  the  vowel  points  with  rules 
infinitely  newer,  that  are  followed  in  the  synagogues  re- 
lative to  their  employment.* 

B  Kings  L.  II.  ch.  17.  v.  27. 

9  Leclerc:   Sentimens  dc  guelq.  theol.  de  Hollande.  L.  VI. 

*  No  one  is  ignorant  of  the  famous  disputes  which  were  raised 
among  the  savants  of  the  last  centuries  concerning  the  origin  of  the 
vowel  points.  These  points  had  always  been  considered  as  contem- 


§  II. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  VOWEL  POINTS. 

Thus  therefore,  the  Hebraic  alphabet,  whatever  might 
have  been  the  form  of  its  characters  at  the  very  remote 
epoch  when  Moses  wrote  his  work,  had  seven  written 
vowels :  N  /H  ,tt  /I  /I  ,*  ,$ ;  besides  a  vague  vowel  at- 
tached to  each  consonant  which  I  have  called  on  account 
of  this,  consonantal  vowel.  But  by  a  series  of  events  which 
hold  to  principles  too  far  from  my  subject  to  be  explain- 
ed here,  the  sound  of  the  written  vowels  became  altered, 
materialized,  hardened  as  it  were,  and  changed  in  such, 
a  way  that  the  characters  which  expressed  them  were  con- 

poraries  of  the  Hebraic  characters  and  belonging  to  the  same  inven- 
tors; when  suddenly,  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  Elijah 
Levita  attacked  their  antiquity  and  attributed  the  invention  to  the 
rabbis  of  the  school  of  Tiberias  who  flourished  about  the  fifth  century 
of  our  era.  The  entire  synagogue  rose  in  rebellion  against  him,  and 
regarded  him  as  a  blasphemer.  His  system  would  have  remained 
buried  in  obscurity,  if  Louis  Cappell,  pastor  of  the  Protestant  Church 
at  Saumur,  after  having  passed  thirty-six  years  of  his  life  noting  down 
the  different  readings  of  the  Hebraic  text,  disheartened  at  being  unable 
to  understand  it,  had  not  changed  his  idea  concerning  these  same 
points  which  had  caused  him  so  much  trouble  and  had  not  taken  to 
heart  the  opinion  of  Elijah  Levita. 

Buxtorf,  who  had  just  made  a  grammar,  opposed  both  Elijah 
Levita  and  Cappell,  and  started  a  war  in  -which  all  the  Hebrew  scholars 
have  taken  part  during  the  last  two  centuries,  never  asking  them- 
selves, in  their  disputes  for  or  against  the  points,  what  was  the  real 
point  of  question.  Now,  this  is  the  real  point.  Elijah  Levita  did  not 
understand  Hebrew,  or  if  he  did  understand  it,  he  was  very  glad 
to  profit  by  an  equivocal  word  of  that  tongue  to  start  the  war  which 
drew  attention  to  him. 

The  word  'i)K>S  (ashouri),  signifies  In  Hebrew,  as  In  Chaldaic, 
Assyrian,  that  which  belongs  to  Assyria,  Its  root  "\\ff  or  11B>  indicates 
all  that  which  tends  to  rule,  to  be  lifted  up;  all  Uiat  which  emanates 
from  an  original  principle  of  force,  of  grandeur  and  of  6clat.  The 

77 


78  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

fused  with  the  other  consonants.  The  vowels  N  ,fi  and 
n  offered  only  an  aspiration  more  or  less  strong,  being 
deprived  of  all  vocal  sound;  1  and  1  became  the  con- 
sonants v  and  w;  *  was  pronounced  ji,  and  y  took  a 
raucous  and  nasal  accent.* 

If,  as  has  very  well  been  said  by  the  ancients,  the 
vowels  are  the  soul  and  the  consonants  the  body  of  the 
words, 7  the  Hebraic  writing  and  all  which,  generally 

alphabet  of  which  Esdras  made  use  in  transcribing  the  Sepher,  was 
called  mw«  RTfO  Assyrian  writing,  or  in  a  figurative  sense,  sovereign, 
primordial,  original  writing.  The  addition  of  the  sign  13  having  ref- 
erence to  the  intensive  verbal  form,  only  gives  more  force  to  the  ex- 
pression. JVWNB  M3T13,  signifies  therefore,  writing  in  the  manner  of 
the  Assyrian,  or  writing  emanated  from  the  sovereign  radiant  principle 
This  is  the  origin  of  the  first  mashorah,  the  real  mashorah  to  which 
both  the  Hebraic  characters  and  vowel  points  which  accompany  them 
must  be  related. 

But  the  word  11DK  assour,  signifies  all  that  which  is  "bound,  obliged 
and  subject  to  rules,  flTOK  a  college,  a  convention,  a  thing  which 
receives  or  which  gives  certain  laws  in  certain  circumstances.  This 
is  the  origin  of  the  second  Masorah.  This  latter  does  not  invent  the 
vowel  points;  but  it  fixes  the  manner  of  using  them;  it  treats  of  every- 
thing which  pertains  to  the  rules  that  regulate  the  orthography  as 
well  as  the  reading  of  the  Sepher.  These  Masorites  enter,  as  I  have 
said,  into  the  minutest  details  of  the  division  of  the  chapters,  and  the 
number  of  verses,  words  and  letters  which  compose  them.  They  know, 
for  example,  that  in  the  first  book  of  the  Sepher  called  Berceshith,  the 
Parshioth,  or  great  sections,  are  twelve  in  number;  those  named  Seda- 
rim  or  orders,  forty-three  in  number;  that  there  are  in  all  one  thousand 
five  hundred  and  thirty-four  verses,  twenty  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  thirteen  words,  seventy -eight  thousand,  one  hundred  letters;  and 
finally,  that  the  middle  of  this  book  is  at  chapter  27,  v.  40,  at  the 
centre  of  these  words:  rvnn  13")n  !?JM  "And  by  thy  sword  (extermina 
tion)  shalt  thou  live." 

*  I  render  it  by  gh  or  tcft. 
7  Priscian  L.  I. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  VOWEL  POINTS  79 

speaking,  belonged  to  the  same  primitive  stock,  became 
by  this  slow  revolution  a  kind  of  body,  if  not  dead,  at 
least  in  a  state  of  lethargy  wherein  remained  only  a  vague, 
transitory  spirit  giving  forth  only  uncertain  lights.  At 
this  time  the  meaning  of  the  words  tended  to  be  material- 
ized like  the  sound  of  the  vowels  and  few  of  the  readers 
were  capable  of  grasping  it.  New  ideas  changed  the 
meaning  as  new  habits  had  changed  the  form. 

Nevertheless,  certain  sages  among  the  Assyrians, 
called  Chaldeans,  a  lettered  and  savant  caste  which  has 
been  inappropriately  confused  with  the  corps  of  the  na- 
tions ;  *  certain  Chaldean  sages,  I  say,  having  perceived 
the  successive  change  which  had  taken  place  in  their 
tongue,  and  fearing  justly  that  notwithstanding  the  oral 
tradition  which  they  strove  to  transmit  from  one  to  the 
other,  the  meaning  of  the  ancient  books  would  become 
lost  entirely,  they  sought  a  means  to  fix  the  value  of  the 
vocal  characters,  and  particularly  to  give  to  the  implied 
consonantal  vowel,  a  determined  sound  which  would  pre- 
vent the  word  from  fluctuating  at  hazard  among  several 
significations. 

For  it  had  come  to  pass  that  at  the  same  time  that 
the  mother  vowels,  that  is  to  say,  those  which  were  de- 
signated by  the  written  characters,  had  become  conso- 
nantal, the  consonants,  so  to  speak,  had  become  vocalized 
by  means  of  the  vague  vowel  which  united  them.  The 

*  The  Chaldeans  were  not  a  corps  of  ths  nations,  as  haa  been 
ridiculously  believed;  but  a  corps  of  savants  in  a  nation.  Their 
principal  academies  -were  at  Babylon,  Borseppa,  Sippara,  Orchoe,  etc. 
Chaldea  was  not,  properly  speaking,  the  name  of  a  country,  but  an 
epithet  given  to  the  country  where  the  Chaldeans  flourished.  These 
sages  were  divided  into  four  classes,  under  the  direction  of  a  supreme 
chief.  They  bore,  in  general,  the  name  of  pNlK'D/  Chashdaln  or  of 
I'Klba ,  Chaldain,  according  to  the  different  dialects.  Both  of  these 
names  signified  alike,  the  venerable*,  the  eminent  ones,  those  who 
understand  the  nature  of  things.  They  are  formed  of  the  assimilative 
article  S.and  the  words  H{?  or  T^n  which  have  reference  to  excellence, 
to  eminence,  to  infinite  time  and  to  eternal  nature. 


80  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

many  ideas  which  were  successively  attached  to  the  same 
root,  had  brought  about  a  concourse  of  vowels  that  it  was 
no  longer  possible  to  blend  as  formerly  with  the  spoken 
language,  and  as  the  written  language  afforded  no  as- 
sistance in  this  regard,  the  books  became  from  day  to  day 
more  difficult  to  understand. 

I  beg  the  readers  but  little  familiar  with  the  tongues 
of  the  Orient,  to  permit  me  to  draw  an  example  from  the 
French.  Let  us  suppose  that  we  have  in  this  tongue,  a 
root  composed  of  two  consonants  bl,  to  which  we  attach 
an  idea  of  roundness.  If  we  conceive  trifling  objects  un- 
der this  form,  we  say  indifferently  bal,  bel,  bil,  bol,  bul 
boul;  but  in  proportion  as  we  distinguish  the  individuals 
from  the  species  in  general,  we  would  know  that  a  bale 
is  neither  a  bille,  nor  a  boule;  we  would  be  careful  not  to 
confuse  the  bol  of  an  apothecary,  with  the  bol  which  is 
used  for  liquors,  nor  the  bill  of  the  English  parlia- 
ment with  a  biille  of  the  pope;  in  short,  we  make  a  great 
difference  between  this  last  bulle  and  a  bulle  of  soap  and 
a  balle  of  merchandize,  etc. 

Now  it  is  in  this  manner  that  the  Chaldeans  thought 
to  obviate  the  ever  growing  confusion  which  was  born  of 
the  deviation  of  the  mother  vowels  and  of  the  fixation  of 
the  vague  vowels.  They  invented  a  certain  number  of 
small  accents,  called  today  vowel  points,  by  means  of 
which  they  were  able  to  give  to  the  characters  of  the  al- 
phabet under  which  they  placed  them,  the  sound  that 
these  characters  had  in  the  spoken  language.  This  in- 
vention, quite  ingenious,  had  the  double  advantage  of 
preserving  the  writing  of  the  ancient  books,  without 
working  any  change  in  the  arrangement  of  the  literal 
characters,  and  of  permitting  the  noting  of  its  pronuncia- 
tion such  as  usage  had  introduced. 

Here  is  the  form,  value  and  name  of  these  points, 
which  I  have  placed  under  the  consonant  2  solely  for  the 
purpose  of  serving  as  example;  for  these  points  can  be 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  VOWEL  POINTS  81 

placed  under  all  the  literal  characters,    consonants    as 
well  as  vowels. 

LONG  VOWELS  SHORT  VOWELS 

D    bA,  —  kametz  5  ba  —  patah 

D    be  —  zere  5  be  —  segol 

D    bi  —  hirek  3  bu  —  kibbuz 

jj    b6  —  holcm  D  bo  —  kamez-hatcf 

The  point  named  shewa,  represented  by  two  points 
placed  perpendicularly  under  a  character,  in  this  man- 
ner ?,  signifies  that  the  character  under  which  it  is 
pla,ced  lacks  the  vowel,  if  it  is  a  consonant,  or  remains 
mute  if  it  is  a  vowel. 

The  consonant  W  always  bears  a  point,  either  at  the 
right  of  the  writer,  Iff  ,  to  express  that  it  has  a  hissing 
sound  as  in  sh;  or  at  the  left  Iff  ,  to  signify  that  it  is  only 
aspirate.  This  difference  is  of  but  little  importance;  but 
it  is  essential  to  remark  that  this  point  replaces  on  the 
character  W  ,  the  vowel  point  called  holem,  that  is  to  say 
o.  This  vocal  sound  precedes  the  consonant  W  when 
the  anterior  consonant  lacks  a  vowel,  as  in  Jl^O  moshe, 
it  follows  it  when  this  same  consonant  fc*  is  initial,  as  in 
shone. 


Besides  these  points,  whose  purpose  was  to  fix  the 
sound  of  the  vague  vowels  and  to  determine  the  vocal 
sound  which  remained  inherent,  or  which  was  attached  to 
the  mother  vowels  either  as  they  were  by  nature  or  as 
they  became  consonants,  the  Chaldeans  invented  still  an- 
other kind  of  interior  point,  intended  to  give  more  force 
to  the  consonants  or  to  the  mother  vowel,  in  the  bosom 
of  which  it  is  inscribed.  This  point  is  called  dagcsh,  when 
applied  to  consonants,  and  mappik,  when  applied  to  vow- 


82  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

els.  The  interior  point  dagesli,  is  inscribed  in  all  of  the 
consonants  except  *).  It  is  soft  in  the  following  six,  /I 
,Q  ,3  >""]  J  /3  when  they  are  initial  or  preceded  by  the 
in  lite  point  called  shewa;  it  is  hard  in  all  the  others  and 
even  in  those  alluded  to,  when  they  are  preceded  by  any 
vowel  whatever;  its  effect  is  to  double  their  value.  Cer- 
tain Hebrew  grammarians  declare  that  this  point,  inscrib- 
ed in  the  bosom  of  the  consonant  £),  pronounced  ordinar- 
ily phf  gives  it  the  force  of  the  simple  p;  but  here  their 
opinion  is  sharply  contested  by  others  who  assert  that  the 
Hebrews,  as  well  as  the  Arabs,  have  never  known  the  ar- 
ticulation of  our  p.  But  as  my  object  is  not  to  teach  the 
pronunciation  of  Hebrew,  I  shall  not  enter  into  these  dis- 
putes. 

Indeed  it  is  of  no  importance  whatever  in  understand- 
ing the  sole  Hebrew  book  which  remains  to  us,  to  know 
what  was  the  articulation  attached  to  such  or  such  char- 
acter by  the  orators  of  Jerusalem;  but  rather,  what  was 
the  meaning  that  Moses,  and  the  ancient  writers  who  have 
imitated  him,  gave  to  these  characters. 

Let  us  return  to  the  point  mappik.  This  inner  point 
is  applied  to  three  vowels  H  /1  /'/  and  gives  them  a  new 
value.  The  vowel  H,  is  distinguished  from  the  word,  and 
takes  an  emphatic  or  relative  meaning ;  the  vowel  1  ceases 
to  be  a  consonant,  and  becomes  the  primitive  vowel  ou, 
and  if  the  point  is  transposed  above  it,  1  it  takes  the 
more  audible  sound  of  o  or  u.  The  vowel  *,  is  distin- 
guished from  the  word,  even  as  the  vowel  Jl,  and  takes 
an  emphatic  sound  or  becomes  audible  from  the  mute  that 
it  had  been. 

The  diphthongs,  however,  are  quite  rare  in  Hebrew. 
Nevertheless,  according  to  the  Chaldaic  pronunciation, 
when  the  pure  vowels  1  or  ',  are  preceded  by  any  vowel 
point,  or  joined  together,  they  form  real  diphthongs  as 
in  the  following  words :  Wty  hcshaou,  ^t?  shaleou,  *Jp 
phanai  *1JI  got,  ^Jl  galoui,  etc. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  VOWEL  POINTS  83 

The  reading  of  the  Hebraic  text  which  I  give  further 
on  in  the  original,  and  its  carefully  made  comparison  with 
the  transcription  in  modern  characters,  will  instruct  those 
who  desire  to  familiarize  themselves  with  the  Hebrew 
.characters,  much  more  than  all  that  I  might  be  able  to 
tell  them  now,  and  above  all  they  will  acquire  these  same 
characters  with  less  ennui. 


§111. 

EFFECTS  OF  THE  VOWEL  POINTS. 
SAMARITAN  TEXT. 

Such  was  the  means  invented  by  the  Chaldeans  to 
note  the  pronunciation  of  the  words  without  altering 
their  characters.  It  is  impossible,  lacking  monuments,  to 
fix  today  even  by  approximation,  the  time  of  this  inven- 
tion; but  one  can  without  deviating  from  the  truth,  de- 
termine when  it  was  adopted  by  the  Hebrews.  Every- 
thing leads  to  believe  that  this  people,  having  had  occa- 
sion during  its  long  captivity  in  Babylon  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  Assyrian  characters  and  the  Chaldaic 
punctuation,  found  in  its  midst  men  sufficiently  enlighten- 
ed to  appreciate  the  advantage  of  each,  and  to  sacrifice  the 
pride  and  national  prejudice  which  might  hold  them  at- 
tached to  their  ancient  characters. 

To  Esdras  is  due  the  principal  honour;  a  man  of 
great  genius  and  uncommon  constancy.  It  was  he  who, 
shortly  after  the  return  of  the  Jews  to  Jerusalem,  revised 
the  sacred  Book  of  his  nation,  repaired  the  disorder 
brought  upon  it  by  the  numerous  revolutions  and  great 
calamities,  and  transcribed  it  completely  in  Assyrian  char- 
acters. It  is  needless  to  repeat  here  the  motives  and  oc- 
casion of  the  additions  which  he  judged  proper  to  make. 
I  havp  spoken  sufficiently  of  this  in  my  Introductory  Dis- 
sertation. If  any  fault  was  committed  in  the  course  of 
a  work  so  considerable,  the  evil  which  resulted  was  slight ; 
while  the  good  of  which  it  became*  the  source  was  im- 
mense. 

For  if  we  possess  the  very  work  of  Moses  in  its  in- 
tegrity, we  owe  it  to  the  particular  care  of  Esdras  and  to 

84 


SAMARITAN  TEXT  85 

his  bold  policy.  The  Samaritan  priests  who  remained  ob- 
stinately attached  to  the  ancient  character,  finally  cor- 
rupted the  original  text  and  this  is  how  it  was  done. 

Since  they  no  longer  pronounced  the  words  in  the 
Same  manner,  they  believed  the  changing*  of  the  ortho- 
graphy immaterial,  and  since  they  were  deprived  of  means 
for  determining  the  sound  of  the  vague  vowels  which 
were  fixed,  they  inserted  mother  vowels  where  there  were 
none.*  These  vowels  whose  'degeneration  was  rapid,  be- 
came consonants;  these  consonants  were  charged  with 
new  vague  vowels  which  changed  the  meaning  of  the 
words,  besides  taking  from  them  what  had  been  hiero- 
glyphic, and  finally  the  confusion  became  such  that  they 
were  forced,  in  order  to  understand  their  Book,  to  have 
recourse  to  a  translation  in  the  language  of  the  time. 
Then  all  was  lost  for  them;  for  the  translators,  whatever 
scruples  they  might  have  brought  to  bear  in  their  work, 
could  translate  only  what  they  understood  and  as  they 
understood. 

What  happened,  however,  to  the  rabbis  of  the  Jewish 
synagogue?  Thanks  to  the  flexibility  of  the  Chaldaic 
punctuation,  they  were  able  to  follow  the  vicissitudes  of 

*Only  a  glance  at  the  Samaritan  text  is  sufficient  to  see  that  it 
abounds  in  the  added  mother  vowels.  Father  Morin  and  Richard 
Simon  have  already  remarked  this:  but  neither  has  perceived  how 
this  text  could  in  that  way  lose  its  authenticity.  On  the  contrary, 
Morin  pretended  to  draw  from  this  abundance  of  mother  vowels,  a 
proof  of  the  anteriority  of  the  Samaritan  text.  He  was  ignorant  of 
the  fact  that  the  greater  part  of  the  mother  vowels  which  are  lacking 
in  the  Hebraic  words,  are  lacking  designedly  and  that  this  want  adds 
often  an  hieroglyphic  meaning  to  the  spoken  meaning,  according  to 
the  Egyptian  usage.  I  know  well  that,  particularly  in  the  verbs,  the 
copyists  prior  to  Esdras,  and  perhaps  Esdras  himself,  have  neglected 
the  mother  vowels  without  other  reason  than  that  of  following  a  de- 
fective pronunciation,  or  through  indolence;  but  it  was  an  inevitable 
misfortune.  The  Masorites  of  Tiberias  may  also  have  followed  bad 
rules,  in  fixing  definitely  the  number  of  these  vowels.  One  ought  in 
this  case  to  supply  them  in  reading,  and  an  intelligent  person  will 
do  so. 


86  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

the  pronunciation  without  changing  anything  in  the  sub- 
stance, number  or  arrangement  of  the  characters.  Where- 
as the  greater  part  yielding  to  the  proneness  of  their  gross 
ideas,  lost  as  had  the  Samaritans,  the  real  meaning  of 
the  sacred  text;  this  text  remained  entirely  concealed  in 
its  characters,  the  knowledge  of  which  was  preserved  by 
an  oral  tradition.  This  tradition  called  Kabbala,  was  espe- 
cially the  portion  of  the  Essenes  who  communicated  it  sec- 
retly to  the  initiates,  neglecting  the  points  or  suppressing 
them  wholly. 

This  has  been  the  fate  of  the  Sepher  of  Moses.  This 
precious  Book  more  and  more  disfigured  from  age  to  age, 
at  first  by  the  degeneration  of  the  tongue,  afterward  by 
its  total  loss,  given  overto  the  carelessness  of  the  ministers 
of  the  altars,  to  the  ignorance  of  the  people,  to  the  inevit- 
able digressions  of  the  Chaldaic  punctuation,  was  pre- 
served by  its  characters  which  like  so  many  of  the  hiero- 
glyphics have  carried  the  meaning  to  posterity.  All  of 
those  whom  the  synagogue  has  considered  as  enlightened 
men,  all  of  those  whom  the  Christian  church  itself  has 
regarded  as  true  savants,  the  sages  of  all  the  centuries, 
have  felt  this  truth. 

Therefore,  let  us  leave  to  the  Hebraist  grammarians 
the  minute  and  ridiculous  care  of  learning  seriously  and 
at  length,  the  rules,  wholly  arbitrary,  which  follow  the 
vowel  points  in  their  mutations.  Let  us  receive  these 
points  in  the  Hebraic  tongue,  as  we  receive  the  vowels 
which  enter  in  the  composition  of  the  words  of  other 
tongues  without  concerning  ourselves  as  to  their  origin 
or  their  position.  Let  us  not  seek,  as  I  have  already  said, 
to  speak  Hebrew,  but  to  understand  it.  Whether  suck 
or  such  word  is  pronounced  in  such  or  such  fashion  in  the 
synagogue,  matters  not  to  us.  The  essential  thing  is 
to  knew  what  it  signifies.  Let  us  also  leave  the  musical 
notes  which  the  rabbis  call  the  accents,  and  without  dis- 
turbiiig  ourselves  as  to  the  tones  in  which  the  first  chap- 
ters of  the  Sepher  were  cantillated  at  Jerusalem,  let  us 


SAMARITAN  TEXT  87 

consider  what  profound  meaning  was  attached  to  it  by 
Moses,  and  with  that  object  let  us  seek  to  penetrate  the 
inner  genius  of  the  Egyptian  idiom  which  he  has  em- 
ployed under  its  two  relations,  literal  and  hieroglyphic. 
We  shall  attain  this  easily  by  the  exploration  of  the  roots, 
few  in  number,  which  serve  as  the  basis  of  this  idiom  and 
by  an  understanding  of  the  characters,  still  fewer  in  num- 
ber, which  are  as  their  elements. 

For,  even  in  the  richest  tongues,  the  roots  are  few 
in  number.  The  Chinese  tongue,  one  of  the  most  varied 
in  the  whole  earth,  which  counts  eighty-four  thousand 
characters,  has  scarcely  more  than  two  hundred  or  two 
hundred  and  thirty  roots,  which  produce  at  the  most, 
twelve  or  thirteen  hundred  simple  words  by  variations 
of  the  accent. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CHARACTERS  CONSIDERED  AS  SIGNS. 
§  I. 

TRACED  CHARACTERS,  ONE  OF  THE  ELEMENTS 
OF  LANGUAGE : 

HIEROGLYPHIC  PRINCIPLE  OF  THEIR 
PRIMITIVE  FORM. 

We  are  about  to  examine  the  'alphabetical  form  and 
value  of  the  Hebrew  characters;  let  us  fix  our  attention 
now  upon  the  meaning  which  is  therein  contained.  This 
is  a  matter  somewhat  novel  and  I  believe  it  has  not  been 
properly  investigated. 

According  to  Court  de  Ge~belin,  the  origin  of  speech 
is  divine.  God  alone  can  give  to  man  the  organs  which 
are  necessary  for  speaking;  He  alone  can  inspire  in  him 
the  desire  to  profit  by  his  organs;  He  alone  can  establish 
between  speech  and  that  multitude  of  marvelous  objects 
which  it  must  depict,  that  admirable  rapport  which  an- 
imates speech,  which  makes  it  intelligible  to  all,  which 
makes  it  a  picture  with  an  energy  and  truthfulness  that 
cannot  be  mistaken.  This  estimable  writer  says,  "How 
could  one  fail  to  recognize  here  the  finger  of  the  All  Pow- 
erful? how  could  one  imagine  that  words  had  no  energy 
by  themselves?  that  they  had  no  value  which  was  not  con- 
ventional and  which  might  not  always  be  different;  that 
the  name  of  lamb  might  be  that  of  wolf,  and  the  name 
of  vice  that  of  virtue,  etc."  * 

1  Monde  primi.  Orig.  du  lang.  p.  66. 
89 


90  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Indeed  a  person  must  be  the  slave  of  system,  and 
singularly  ignorant  of  the  first  elements  of  language  to 
assert  with  Hobbes  and  his  followers,  that  there  is  no- 
thing which  may  not  be  arbitrary  in  the  institution  of 
speech;2  that  "we  cannot  from  experience  conclude  that 
anything  is  to  be  called  just  or  unjust,  true  or  false,  or 
any  proposition  universal  whatsoever,  except  it  be  from 
remembrance  of  the  use  of  names  imposed  arbitrarily 
by  men."3 

Again  if  Hobbes,  or  those  who  have  followed  him, 
having  delved  deeply  in  the  elements  of  speech,  had  de- 
monstrated the  nothingness  or  absolute  indifference  of  it 
by  a  rational  analysis  of  tongues  or  even  simply  by  the 
analysis  of  the  tongue  that  they  spoke;  but  these  men, 
compilers  of  certain  Latin  words,  believed  themselves  so 
wise  that  the  mere  declaration  of  their  paradox  was  its 
demonstration.  They  did  not  suspect  that  one  could  raise 
his  grammatical  thoughts  above  a  supine  or  a  gerund. 

May  I  be  pardoned  for  this  digression  which,  distant 
as  it  appears  from  the  Hebraic  grammar,  brings  us,  how- 
ever, back  to  it;  for  it  is  in  this  grammar  that  we  shall 
find  the  consoling  proof,  stated  above  by  Gebelin  and  the 
response  to  the  destructive  paradoxes  of  Hobbes  and  all 
his  acolytes.  It  is  even  one  of  the  motives  which  has 
caused  me  to  publish  this  grammar,  and  which,  being 
connected  with  that  of  giving  to  my  translation  of  the 
Cosmogony  of  Moses  an  incontrovertible  basis,  engages  me 
in  a  work  to  which  I  had  not  at  first  destined  myself. 

I  shall  show  that  the  words  which  compose  the 
tongues  in  general,  and  those  of  the  Hebraic  tongue  in 
particular,  far  from  being  thrown  at  hazard,  and  formecl 
by  the  explosion  of  an  arbitrary  caprice,  as  has  been  as- 
serted, are.  on  the  contrary,  produced  by  a  profound 
reason.  I  shall  prove  that  there  is  not  a  single  one  that 
may  not,  by  means  of  a  well  made  grammatical  analysis, 

2  Hobb.  de  la  nat.  hum.  ch.  4.  10. 
«  Ibid:  oh.  5.  §  10.    Leviath.  ch.  4. 


CHARACTERS  CONSIDERED  AS  SIGNS        91 

be  brought  back  to  the  fixed  elements  of  a  nature,  im- 
mutable as  to  substance,  although  variable  to  infinity  as 
to  forms. 

These  elements,  such  as  we  are  able  to  examine  here, 
constitute  that  part  of  speech  to  which  I  have  given  the 
name  of  sign.  They  comprise,  as  I  have  said,  the  voice, 
the  gesture,  and  the  traced  characters.  It  is  to  the  traced 
characters  that  we  shall  apply  ourselves;  since  the  voice 
is  extinct,  and  the  gesture  disappeared.  They  alone  will 
furnish  us  a  subject  amply  vast  for  reflections. 

According  to  the  able  writer  whom  I  have  already 
quoted,  their  form  is  by  no  means  arbitrary.  Court  de 
Gebelin  proves  by  numerous  examples  that  the  first  in- 
ventors of  the  literal  alphabet,  unique  source  of  all  the 
literal  alphabets  in  actual  use  upon  the  earth,  and  whose 
characters  were  at  first  only  sixteen  in  number,  drew 
from  nature  itself  the  form  of  these  characters,  relative 
to  the  meaning  which  they  wished  to  attach  to  them.  Here 
are  his  ideas  upon  this  subject,  to  which  I  shall  bring 
only  some  slight  changes  and  certain  developments  neces- 
sitated by  the  extent  of  the  Hebraic  alphabet  and  the  com- 
parison that  I  am  obliged  to  make  of  several  analogous 
letters ;  in  order  to  reduce  the  number  to  the  sixteen  prim- 
ordial characters,  and  make  them  harmonize  with  their 
hieroglyphic  principle. 

N  A. — Man  himself  as  collective  unity,  principle: 
master  and  ruler  of  the  earth. 

D  £)  B.  P.  PH. — The  mouth  of  man  as  organ  of  speech ; 
his  interior,  his  habitation,  every  central  object. 

J 3  G.  C.  CH.— The  throat:  the  hand  of  man  half  closed 
and  in  action  of  taking:  every  canal,  every  en- 
closure, every  hollow  object. 

f  n  D.  DH.  TH.— The  breast :  every  abundant,  nutritive 
object:  all  division,  all  reciprocity. 

H  H.  EH.  AH.— The  breath:  all  that  which  animates: 
air,  life,  being. 


92  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

1       O.  U. — The  eye :  all  that  which  is  related  to  the  light, 

to  brilliancy,  to  limpidness,  to  water. 
OU.  W.  WH.— The  ear:  all  that  which  is  related  to 

sound,  to  noise,  to  wind:  void,  nothingness. 

S.  SH. — A  staff,  an  arrow,  a  bow;  the  arms,  the 

instruments  of  man:  every  object  leading  to  an 

end. 
H     H.  HE.  CH. — A  field,  image  of  natural  existence: 

all  that  which  requires  work,  labour,  effort:  all 

that  which  excites  heat. 
D  ¥  T.  TZ. — A  roof :  a  place  of  surety,  of  refuge :  a  haven, 

a  shelter ;  a  term,  an  aim :  an  end. 
*        I. — The  finger  of  man,  his  extended  hand:  all  that 

which  indicates  the  directing  power  and  which 

serves  to  manifest  it. 
*?      L. — The  arm:  everything  which  is  extended,  raised, 

displayed. 
ID      M. — The  companion  of  man,  woman :  all  that  whicK 

is  fruitful  and  creative. 
J       N. — The  production  of  woman:  a  child:  any  fruit 

whatsoever:  every  produced  being. 
p      Q.  K. — A  positive  arm :  all  that  which  serves,  defends, 

or  makes  an  effort  for  man. 
")      B. — The  head  of  man:  all  that  which  possesses  in 

itself,  a  proper  and  determining  movement. 

Now  it  must  be  observed  that  these  characters  received 
these  symbolic  figures  from  their  first  inventors  only 
because  they  already  contained  the  idea;  that  in  passing 
to  the  state  of  signs,  they  present  only  abstractly  to  the 
thought  the  faculties  of  these  same  objects:  but,  as  I  have 
stated,  they  can  fulfill  the  functions  of  the  signs,  only 
after  having  been  veritable  nouns:  for  every  sign  mani- 
fested exteriorly  is  at  first  a  noun. 


§  II. 

ORIGIN  OF  SIGNS  AND  THEIR  DEVELOPMENT: 
THOSE  OF  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE. 

Let  us  try  to  discover  how  the  sign,  being  manifested 
exteriorly,  produced  a  noun,  and  how  the  noun,  charac- 
terized by  a  figured  type  produced  a  sign.  Let  us  take  for 
example,  the  sign  D  M,  which,  expressing  by  means  of  its 
primordial  elements,  the  sound  and  organs  of  the  voice, 
becomes  the  syllable  aM  or  Ma,  and  is  applied  to  those 
faculties  of  woman  which  eminently  distinguish  her,  that 
is  to  say,  to  those  of  mother.  If  certain  minds  attacked 
by  skepticism  ask  me  why  I  restrict  the  idea  of  mother 
in  this  syllable  aM  or  Ma,  and  how  I  am  sure  that  it  is 
applied  effectively  there,  I  shall  reply  to  them  that  the 
sole  proof  that  I  can  give  them,  in  the  material  sphere 
which  envelops  them  is,  that  in  all  the  tongues  of  the 
world  from  that  of  the  Chinese  to  that  of  the  Caribs,  the 
syllable  aM  or  Ma  is  attached  to  the  idea  of  mother,  and 
aB,  Ba,  or  aP,  Pa,  to  that  of  father.  If  they  doubt  my 
assertion  let  them  prove  that  it  is  false;  if  they  do  not 
doubt  it,  let  them  tell  me  how  it  is  that  so  many  diverse 
peoples,  thrown  at  such  distances  apart,  unknown  to  each 
other,  are  agreed  in  the  signification  of  this  syllable,  if 
this  syllable  is  not  the  innate  expression  of  the  sign  of 
maternity. 

This  is  a  grammatical  truth  that  all  the  sophisms  of 
Hobbes  arid  his  disciples  knew  not  how  to  overthrow. 

Let  us  settle  upon  this  fundamental  point  and  pro- 
ceed. What  are  the  relative  or  abstract  ideas  which  are 
attached  to,  or  which  follow  from,  the  primordial  idea  re- 
presented by  the  syllable  aM  or  Ma?  Is  it  not  the  idea  of 


94  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

fecundity,  of  multiplicity,  of  abundance?  Is  it  not  the 
idea  of  fecundation,  of  multiplication,  of  formation?  Does 
not  one  see  from  this  source,  every  idea  of  excited  and 
passive  action,  of  exterior  movement,  of  plastic  force,  of 
characteristic  place,  of  home,  of  means,  etc? 

It  is  useless  to  pursue  this  examination :  the  mass  of 
ideas  contained  in  the  primordial  idea  of  mother,  is  either 
attached  to  the  figured-  sign,  to  the  typical  character 
which  represents  it,  or  is  derived  from  and  follows  it. 

Each  sign  starts  from  the  same  principles  and  ac- 
quires the  same  development.  Speech  is  like  a  sturdy  tree 
which,  shooting  up  from  a  single  trunk  begins  with  a  few 
branches;  but  which  soon  extends  itself,  spreads,  and  be- 
comes divided  in  an  infinity  of  boughs  whose  interlaced 
twigs  are  blended  and  mingled  together. 

And  do  not  wonder  at  this  immense  number  of  ideas 
following  from  so  small  a  number  of  signs.  It  is  by 
means  of  the  eight  keys  called  Koua,  that  the  Chinese 
tongue,  at  first  reduced  to  two  hundred  and  forty  prim- 
ordial characters,  is  raised  to  eighty  and  even  eighty-four 
thousand  derivative  characters,  as  I  have  already  said. 

Now  the  newer  a  tongue  is  and  closer  to  nature,  the 
more  the  sign  preserves  its  force.  This  force  dies  out  in- 
sensibly, in  proportion  as  the  derivative  tongues  are 
formed,  blended,  identified  and  mutually  enriched  with 
a  mass  of  words  which,  belonging  to  several  tribes  at 
first  isolated  and  afterward  united,  lose  their  synonymy 
and  finally  are  coloured  with  all  the  nuances  of  the  im- 
agination, and  adapt  themselves  to  every  delicacy  of  sen- 
timent and  expression.  The  force  of  the  sign  is  the  gram- 
matical touchstone  by  means  of  which  one  can  judge 
without  error  the  antiquity  of  any  tongue. 

In  our  modern  tongues,  for  example,  the  sign,  be- 
cause of  the  idiomatic  changes  brought  about  by  time,  is 
very  difficult  to  recognize;  it  yields  only  to  a  persistent 
analysis.  It  is  not  thus  in  Hebrew.  This  tongue,  like  a 
vigorous  shoot  sprung  from  the  dried  trunk  of  the  pri- 


ORIGIN  OF  SIGNS  OF  HEBRAIC  TONGUE      95 

mitive  tongue,  has  preserved  on  a  small  scale  all  the  forms 
and  all  the  action.  The  signs  are  nearly  all  evident,  and 
many  even  are  detached :  when  this  is  the  case,  I  shall 
give  them  name  of  relations  for  I  understand  by  sign 
only  the  constitutive  character  of  a  root,  or  the  character 
which  placed  at  the  beginning  or  at  the  end  of  a  word, 
modifies  its  expression  without  conserving  any  in  itself. 
I  now  pass,  after  these  explanations,  to  what  the 
Hebraic  signs  indicate,  that  is  to  say,  to  a  new  develop- 
ment of  the  literal  characters  of  the  Hebraic  tongue  con- 
sidered under  the  relation  of  the  primitive  ideas  which 
they  express,  and  by  which  they  are  constituted  repre- 
sentative signs  of  these  same  ideas. 

'N  A. — This  first  character  of  the  alphabet,  in  nearly 
all  known  idioms,  is  the  sign  of  power  and  of 
stability.  The  ideas  that  it  expresses  are  those  of 
unity  and  of  the  principle  by  which  it  is  deter- 
mined. 

D  B.  P. — Virile  and  paternal  sign :  image  of  active  and 
interior  action. 

J  G. — This  character  which  offers  the  image  of  a  canal, 
is  the  organic  sign;  that  of  the  material  covering 
and  of  all  ideas  originating  from  the  corporeal 
organs  or  from  their  action. 

"1  D. — Sign  of  nature,  divisible  and  divided:  it  ex- 
presses every  idea  proceeding  from  the  abundance 
born  of  division. 

H       H.    He. — Life  and  every  abstract  idea  of  being. 

1  OU.  W. — This  character  offers  the  image  of  the  most 
profound,  the  most  inconceivable  mystery,  the 
image  of  the  knot  which  unites,  or  the  point  which 
separates  nothingness  and  being.  It  is  the  uni- 
versal, convertible  sign  which  makes  a  thing  pass 
from  one  nature  to  another;  communicating  on  the 


9G  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

one  side,  with  the  sign  of  light  and  of  spiritual 
sense  1 ,  which  is  itself  more  elevated,  and  con- 
necting on  the  other  side,  in  its  degeneration,  with 
the  sign  of  darkness  and  of  material  sense  y  which 
is  itself  still  more  abased. 

f  Z.  C.  S. — Demonstrative  sign :  abstract  image  of  the 
link  which  unites  things :  symbol  of  luminous  re- 
fraction. 

H  H.  HE.  CH. — This  character,  intermediary  between  fl 
and  D,  the  former  designating  life,  absolute  exist- 
ence; the  latter,  relative  life,  assimilated  existence. 
— is  the  sign  of  elementary  existence :  it  offers  the 
image  of  a  sort  of  equilibrium,  and  is  attached  tt> 
ideas  of  effort,  of  labour,  and  of  normal  and  of 
legislative  action. 

D  T. — Sign  of  resistance  and  of  protection.  This  char- 
acter serves  as  link  between  1  and  H,  which  are 
both  much  more  expressive. 

*  I. — Image  of  potential  manifestation :  of  spiritual 
duration,  of  eternity  of  time  and  of  all  ideas  relat- 
ing thereunto :  remarkable  character  in  its  vocal 
nature,  but  which  loses  all  of  its  faculties  in  pass- 
ing to  the  state  of  consonant,  wherein  it  depicts 
no  more  than  a  material  duration,  a  sort  of  link 
as  t,  or  of  movement  as  £'. 

D  C.  CH. — Assimilative  sign :  it  is  a  reflective  and  tran- 
sient life,  a  sort  of  mould  which  receives  and  makes 
all  forms.  It  is  derived  from  the  character  fl 
which  proceeds  itself  from  the  sign  of  absolute 
life  H.  Thus  holding,  on  the  one  side,  to  elemen- 
tary life,  it  joins  to  the  signification  of  the  char- 
acter tl,  that  of  the  organic  sign  J,  of  which  it  is, 
besides,  only  a  kind  of  reinforcement. 

**     L. — Sign  of  expansive  movement :  it  is  applied  to  all 


ORIGIN  OF  SIGNS  OF  HEBRAIC  TONGUE     97 

ideas  of  extension,  elevation,  occupation,  posses- 
sion. As  final  sign,  it  is  the  image  of  power  de- 
rived from  elevation. 

M. — Maternal  and  female  sign:  local  and  plastic 
sign:  image  of  exterior  and  passive  action.  This 
character  used  at  the  end  of  words,  becomes  the 
collective  signD.  In  this  state,  it  develops  the  be- 
ing in  indefinite  space,  or  it  comprises,  in  the  same 
respect,  all  beings  of  an  identical  nature. 

N. — Image  of  produced  or  reflected  being:  sign  of 
individual  and  of  corporeal  existence.  As  final 
character  it  is  the  augmentative  sign  f,  and  gives  to 
the  word  which  receives  it  all  the  individual  ex- 
tension ol  which  the  expressed  thing  is  susceptible. 

8.  X. — Image  of  all  circumscription:  sign  of  cir- 
cular movement  in  that  which  has  connection 
with  its  circumferential  limit.  It  is  the  link  t  re- 
inforced and  turned  back  upon  itself. 

H.  WH. — Sign  of  material  meaning.  It  is  the  sign 
1  considered  in  its  purely  physical  relations.  When 
the  vocal  sound  # ,  degenerates  in  its  turn  into  con- 
sonant, it  becomes  the  sign  of  all  that  which  is 
bent,  false,  perverse  and  bad. 

PH.  F. — Sign  of  speech  and  of  that  which  is  related 
to  it.  This  character  serves  as  link  between  the 
characters  D  and  1,  B  and  V,  when  the  latter  has 
passed  into  state  of  consonant;  it  participates  in 
all  their  significations,  adding  its  own  expression 
which  is  the  emphasis. 

TZ. — Final  and  terminative  sign  being  related  to  all 
ideas  of  scission,  of  term,  solution,  goal.  Placed 
at  the  beginning  of  words,  it  indicates  the  move- 
ment which  carries  toward  the  term  of  which  it  is 
the  sign :  placed  at  the  end,  it  marks  the  same  term 


98  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

where  it  has  tended;  then  it  receives  this  form  lft 
It  is  derived  from  the  character  D  and  from  the 
character  t,  and  it  marks  equally  scission  for 
both. 

p  Q.  K. — Sign  eminently  compressive,  astringent  and 
trenchant;  image  of  the  agglomerating  or  repres- 
sive form.  It  is  the  character  D  wholly  material- 
ized and  is  applied  to  objects  purely  physical.  For 
this  is  the  progression  of  the  signs :  fl,  universal 
life;  fT,  elementary  existence, the  effort  of  nature; 
5,  assimilated  life  holding  the  natural  forms:  p 
material  existence  giving  the  means  of  forms. 

*)  R. — Sign  of  all  movement  proper,  good  or  bad:  ori- 
ginal and  frequentative  sign :  image  of  the  renewal 
of  things  as  to  their  movement. 

W  SH. — Sign  of  relative  duration  and  of  movement 
therewith  connected.  This  character  is  derived 
from  the  vocal  sound  *,  passed  into  the  state  of 
consonant;  it  joins  to  its  original  expression  the 
respective  significations  of  the  characters  f  and  D. 

H  TH. — Sign  of  reciprocity:  image  of  that  which  is 
mutual  and  reciprocal.  "Sign  of  signs.  Joining  to 
the  abundance  of  the  character  "1,  to  the  force  of 
the  resistance  and  protection  of  the  character  C> 
the  idea  of  perfection  of  which  it  is  itself  the  sym- 
bol. 

Twenty-two  signs:  such  are  the  simple  bases  upon 
which  reposes  the  Hebraic  tongue,  upon  which  are  raised 
the  primitive  or  derivative  tongues  which  are  attached  to 
the  same  origin.  From  the  perfect  understanding  of  these 
bases,  depends  the  understanding  of  their  genius :  their 
possession  is  a  key  which  unlocks  the  roots. 


5  III. 

USB  OF  THE  SIGNS :  EXAMPLE  DRAWN  FROM 
THE  FRENCH. 

I  might  expatiate  at  length  upon  the  signification  of 
each  of  these  characters  considered  as  Signs,  especially  if 
I  had  added  to  the  general  ideas  that  they  express,  some 
of  the  particular,  relative  or  abstract  ideas  which  are  nec- 
essarily attached;  but  I  have  said  enough  for  the  attentive 
reader  and  he  will  find  elsewhere  in  the  course  of  this 
work  quite  a  considerable  number  of  examples  and  deve- 
lopments to  assure  his  progress  and  level  all  doubts  which 
he  might  have  conceived. 

As  I  have  not  yet  spoken  of  the  noun,  fundamental 
part  of  speech,  and  as  it  would  be  difficult  for  those  of  my 
readers,  who  have  of  the  Hebraic  tongue  only  the  knowl- 
edge that  I  am  giving  them,  to  understand  me  if  I  pro- 
ceeded abruptly  to  the  composition  or  the  decomposition 
of  the  Hebraic  words  by  means  of  the  sign,  I  shall  put  off 
demonstrating  the  form  and  utility  of  this  labour.  In  or- 
der, however,  not  to  leave  this  chapter  imperfect  and  to 
satisfy  the  curiosity  as  much  as  possible,  without  fatigu- 
ing too  much  the  attention,  I  shall  illustrate  the  power  of 
the  sign  by  a  French  word,  taken  at  hazard,  of  a  common 
acceptation  and  of  obvious  composition. 

Let  it  be  the  word  emplacement.*    Only  a  very  super- 

•  At  the  very  moment  of  writing  this,  I  v<  as  at  the  Bureau  det 
Operations  militaires  du  Ministere  de  la  guerre,  where  I  was  then 
employed.  Just  as  I  was  seeking  for  the  French  word  announced  in 
the  above  paragraph,  the  chief  of  the  division  interrupted  me,  In  order 
to  give  me  some  work  to  do  relative  to  an  emplacement  of  troops.  My 
administrative  labour  terminated,  I  again  took  up  my  grammatical 
work,  retaining  the  same  word  which  had  engaged  my  attention. 


100  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

flcial  knowledge  of  etymology  is  necessary  to  see  that  the 
simple  word  here  is  place.  Our  first  task  is  to  connect  it 
with  the  tongue  from  which  it  is  directly  derived;  by  this 
means  we  shall  obtain  an  etymology  of  the  first  degree, 
which  will  set  to  rights  the  changes  which  might  be  ef- 
fected in  the  characters  of  which  it  is  composed.  Now, 
whether  we  go  to  the  Latin  tongue,  or  whether  we  go  to 
the  Teutonic  tongue,  we  shall  find  in  the  one  platea,  and 
in  the  other  platz.  We  shall  stop  there  without  seeking 
the  etymology  of  the  second  degree,  which  would  consist 
in  interrogating  the  primitive  Celt,  common  origin  of  the 
Latin  and  the  Teutonic;  because  the  two  words  that  we 
have  obtained  suffice  to  enlighten  us. 

It  is  evident  that  the  constitutive  root  of  the  French 
word  place,  is  aT  or  aTz.  Now,  the  sign  in  at,  indicates 
to  us  an  idea  of  resistance  or  of  protection,  and  in  atz  an 
idea  of  term,  of  limit,  of  end.  It  is,  therefore,  a  thing 
resisting  and  limited,  or  a  thing  protective  and  final.  But 
what  is  the  sign  which  governs  this  root  and  which  makes 
it  a  noun,  by  proceeding  from  right  to  left  following  the 
Oriental  manner?  It  is  the  sign  L,  that  of  all  extension, 
of  all  possession.  Lat  is  therefore,  a  thing  extended  as 
lot,  or  extended  and  possessed  as  latitude.  This  is  un- 
impeachable. 

Next,  what  is  the  second  sign  which  stamps  a  new 
meaning  On  these  words?  It  is  the  sign  P,  that  of  active 
and  central  action;  inner  and  determinative  character; 
which,  from  the  word  Icet,  an  extended  thing,  makes  a 
thing  of  a  fixed  and  determined  extent,  a  plat,  or  a  place 
by  changing  the  t  into  c,  as  the  etymology  of  the  first  de- 
gree has  proved  to  us  the  reality  of  this  change. 

Now  that  we  understand  clearly  in  the  word  em-place- 
ment, the  simple  word  place  of  which  it  is  composed,  let 
us  search  for  the  elements  of  its  composition.  Let  us 
examine  first  the  termination  ment,  a  kind  of  adverbial  re- 
lation, which  added  to  a  noun,  determines,  in  French,  an 
action  implied,  The  etymology  of  the  first  degree  gives 


USE  OF  THE  SIGNS  101 

us  mem,  in  Latin,  mid  mind  in  Teutonic.  These  two  words 
mutually  explain  each  other,  therefore  it  is  unneces- 
sary for  us  to  turn  to  the  second  degree  of  etymology. 
Whether  we  take  mem  or  mind,  it  remains  for  us  to  ex- 
plore the  root  eN  or  iN,  after  dropping  the  initial  cha- 
racter M,  and  the  final  S  or  D,  that  we  shall  take  up 
further  on.  To  the  root  en,  expressing  something  even  in 
the  tongue  of  the  Latins,  we  shall  now  direct  our  attention. 

Here  we  see  the  sign  of  absolute  life  E,  and  that  of 
reflective  or  produced  existence  N,  joined  together  to  de- 
signate every  particular  being.  This  is  precisely  what  the 
Latin  root  EN,  signfies,  lo,  behold;  that  is  to  say,  see; 
examine  this  individual  existence.  It  is  the  exact  transla- 
tion of  the  Hebrew  [Jl  hen!  If  you  add  to  this  root  the 
luminous  sign  as  in  the  Greek  alwv  (aon),  you  will  have 
the  individual  being  nearest  to  the  absolute  being;  if,  on 
the  contrary,  you  take  away  the  sign  of  life  and  substitute, 
that  of  duration  as  in  the  Latin  in,  you  will  have  the  most 
restricted,  the  most  centralized,  the  most  interior  being. 

But  let  the  root  EN  be  terminated  by  the  conscriptive 
and  circumferential  sign  S,  and  we  shall  obtain  ens,  cor- 
poreal mind,  the  intelligence  peculiar  to  man.  Then  let 
us  make  this  word  rule  by  the  exterior  and  plastic  sign  M, 
and  we  shall  have  the  word  mens,  intelligence  manifesting 
itself  outwardly  and  producing.  This  is  the  origin  of  th.e 
termination  sought  for :  it  expresses  the  exterior  form  ac- 
cording to  which 'every  action  is  modified. 

As  to  the  initial  syllable  em,  which  is  found  at  the 
head  of  the  word  em-place-ment,  it  represents  the  root  EN, 
and  has  received  the  character  M,  only  because  of  the  con- 
sonant P,  which  never  allows  N  in  front  of  it,  and  this,  as 
though  the  being  generated  could  never  be  presented  prior 
to  the  generating  being.  This  syllable  comes  therefore 
from  the  same  source,  and  whether  it  be  derived  from  the 
corresponding  Latin  words  en  or  in,  it  always  character- 
izes restricted  existence  in  a  determined  or  inner  point. 


102         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

According  to  these  ideas,  if  I  had  to  explain  the 
French  word  em-place-ment,  I  would  say  that  it  signifies 
the  proper  mode  according  to  which  a  fixed  and  determin- 
ed extent,  as  place,  is  conceived  or  is  presented  exteriorly. 

Moreover,  this  use  of  the  sign  which  I  have  just  il- 
lustrated by  a  word  of  the  French  tongue,  is  much  easier 
and  more  sure  in  the  Hebrew,  which,  possessing  in  itself 
nearly  all  the  constitutive  elements,  only  obliges  the  ety- 
mologist on  very  rare  occasions  to  leave  his  lexicon; 
whereas,  one  cannot  analyze  a  French  word  without  going 
back  to  Latin  or  Teutonic,  from  which  it  is  derived,  and 
without  making  frequent  incursions  into  Celtic,  its  primi- 
tive source,  and  into  Greek  and  Phoenician,  from  which  it 
has  received  at  different  times  a  great  number  of  expres- 
sions. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  SIGN  PRODUCING  THE  ROOT, 
§  I. 

DIGRESSION  ON  THE   PRINCIPLE  AND  THE 
CONSTITUTIVE  ELEMENTS  OF  THE  SIGN. 

I  have  endeavoured  to  show  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
the  origin  of  the  sign  and  its  power:  let  us  again  stop  a 
moment  upon  this  important  subject,  and  though  I  might 
be  accused  of  lacking  method,  let  us  not  fear  to  retrace  our 
steps,  the  better  to  assure  our  progress. 

I  have  designated  as  elements  of  speech,  the  voice,  the 
gesture  and  the  traced  characters ;  as  means,  the  sound,  the 
movement  and  the  light:  but  these  elements  and  these 
means  would  exist  in  vain,  if  there  were  not  at  the  same 
time  a  creative  power,  independent  of  them,  which  could 
take  possession  of  them  and  put  them  into  action.  This 
power  is  the  Will.  I  refrain  from  naming  its  principle; 
for  besides  being  difficult  to  conceive,  it  would  not  be  the 
place  here  to  speak  of  it.  But  the  existence  of  the  will 
cannot  be  denied  even  by  the  most  determined  skeptic; 
since  he  would  be  unable  to  call  it  in  question  without 
willing  it  and  consequently  without  giving  it  recognition. 

Now  the  articulate  voice  and  the  affirmative  or  nega- 
tive gesture  are,  and  can  only  be,  the  expression  of  the 
will.  It  is  the  will  which,  taking  possession  of  sound  and 
movement,  forces  them  to  become  its  interpreters  and  to 
reflect  exteriorly  its  interior  affections. 

Nevertheless,  if  the  will  is  absolute,  all  its  affections 
although  diverse,  must  be  identical;  that  is  to  say,  be  res- 
pectively the  same  for  all  individuals  who  experience 

103 


104         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

them.  Thus,  a  man  willing  and  affirming  his  will  by  ges- 
ture or  vocal  inflection,  experiences  no  other  affection 
than  any  man  who  wills  and  affirms  the  same  thing.  The 
gesture  and  sound  of  the  voice  which  accompany  the  affir- 
mation are  not  those  destined  to  depict  negation,  and  there 
is  not  a  single  man  on  earth  who  can  not  be  made  to  un- 
derstand by  the  gesture  or  by  the  inflection  of  the  voice, 
that  he  is  loved  or  that  he  is  hated ;  that  he  wishes  or  does 
not  wish  the  thing  presented.  There  would  be  nothing  of 
agreement  here.  It  is  an  identical  power  which  is  mani- 
fested spontaneously  and  which  radiating  from  one  voli- 
tive  centre  reflects  itself  upon  the  other. 

I  would  it  were  as  easy  to  demonstrate  that  it  is 
equally  without  agreement  and  by  the  sole  force  of  the 
will,  that  the  gesture  or  vocal  inflection  assigned  to  affirm- 
ation or  negation,  is  transformed  into  different  words, 
and  how  it  happens,  for  example,  that  the  words  N1?,  no, 
and  PO,  yes,  having  the  same  sound  and  involving  the  same 
inflection  and  the  same  gesture,  have  not,  however,  the 
same  meaning;  but  if  that  were  so  easy,  how  has  the  ori- 
gin of  speech  remained  till  now  unknown?  How  is  it  that 
so  many  savants  armed  with  both  synthesis  and  analysis, 
have  not  solved  a  question  so  important  to  man?  There  is 
nothing  conventional  in  speech,  and  I  hope  to  prove  this 
to  my,  readers;  but  I  do  not  promise  to  prove  to  them,  a 
truth  of  this  nature  in  the  manner  of  the  geometricians; 
its  possession  is  of  too  high  an  importance  to  be  contained 
in  an  algebraic  equation. 

Let  us  return.  Sound  and  movement  placed  at  the 
disposition  of  the  will  is  modified  by  it ;  that  is  to  say,  that 
by  certain  appropriate  organs,  sound  is  articulated  and 
changed  into  voice;  movement  is  determined  and  changed 
into  gesture.  But  voice  and  gesture  have  only  an  instan- 
taneous, fugitive  duration.  If  it  is  of  importance  to  the 
will  of  man,  to  make-  the  memory  of  the  affections  that  it 
manifests  exteriorly  survive  the  affections  themselves 
i(for  this  is  nearly  always  of  importance  to  him) ;  then, 


THE  SIGN  PRODUCING  THE  ROOT          105 

finding  no  resource  to  fix  or  to  depict  the  sound,  it  takes 
possession  of  movement  and  with  the  aid  of  the  hand,  its 
most  expressive  organ,  finds  after  many  efforts,  the  secret 
of  drawing  on  the  bark  of  trees  or  cutting  on  stone,  the 
gesture  upon  which  it  has  at  first  determined.  This  is  the 
origin  of  traced  characters  which,  as  image  of  the  gesture 
and  symbol  of  the  vocal  inflection,  become  one  of  the  most 
fruitful  elements  of  language,  which  extend  its  empire 
rapidly  and  present  to  man  an  inexhaustible  means  of 
combination.  There  is  nothing  conventional  in  their  prin- 
ciple; for  no  is  always  no,  and  yes  always  yes:  a  man  is 
a  man.  But  as  their  form  depends  much  upon  the  de- 
signer who  first  tests  the  will  by  depicting  his  affections, 
enough  of  the  arbitrary  can  be  insinuated,  and  it  can  be 
varied  enough  so  that  there  may  be  need  of  an  agreement 
to  assure  their  authenticity  and  authorize  their  usage. 
Also,  it  is  always  in  the  midst  of  a  tribe  advanced  in  civil- 
ization and  subject  to  the  laws  of  a  regular  government, 
that  the  use  of  some  kind  of  writing  is  encountered.  One 
can  be  sure  that  wherever  traced  characters  are  found, 
there  also  are  found  civilized  forms.  All  men,  however 
savage  they  may  be,  speak  and  impart  to  each  other  their 
ideas;  but  all  do  not  write,  because  there  is  no  need  of 
agreement  for  the  establishment  of  a  language,  whereas 
there  is  always  need  of  one  for  writing. 

Nevertheless,  although  traced  characters  infer  an 
agreement,  as  I  have  already  saidx  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  they  are  the  symbol  of  two  things  which  are  not  in- 
ferred, the  vocal  inflection  and  the  gesture.  These  are  the 
result  of  the  spontaneous  outburst  of  the  will.  The  others 
are  the  fruit  of  reflection.  In  tongues  similar  to  Hebrew, 
where  the  vocal  inflection  and  the  gesture  have  long  since 
disappeared,  one  must  devote  himself  to  the  characters, 
as  the  sole  element  which  remains  of  the  language,  and 
regard  them  as  the  complete  language  itself,  not  consider- 
ing the  agreement  by  which  they  have  been  established. 
This  is  what  I  have  done,  in  constituting  them  represen- 


106         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

tative  signs  of  the  fundamental  ideas  of  the  Hebraic 
tongue.  I  shall  follow  the  same  method  showing  success- 
ively how  this  small  quantity  of  signs  has  sufficed  for  the 
formation  of  the  roots  of  this  tongue,  and  for  the  composi- 
tion of  all  the  words  which  have  been  derived  therefrom  t 
Let  us  examine  first  what  I  mean  by  a  root. 


§  II. 

FORMATION  OF  THE  ROOT  AND  OF  THE 
RELATION. 

A  root  is,  and  can  never  be  anything  but,  monosyl- 
labic :  it  results  from  the  union  of  two  signs  at  the  least, 
and  of  three  at  the  most.  I  say  two  signs  at  the  least,  for 
a  single  sign  cannot  constitute  a  root,  because  the  fun- 
damental idea  that  it  contains,  being,  as  it  were,  only  in 
germ,  awaits  the  influence  of  another  sign  in  order  to  be 
developed.  It  is  not  that  the  sign  before  being  constitut- 
ed such,  may  not  have  represented  a  noun,  but  this  noun 
becomes  effaced,  as  I  have  said,  to  constitute  the  sign. 
When  the  sign  is  presented  alone  in  speech,  it  becomes,  in 
Hebrew,  what  I  call  an  article ;  that  is  to  say,  a  sort  of  re- 
lation whose  expression  entirely  abstract,  determines  the 
diverse  relations  of  nouns  and  verbs  to  each  other. 

The  root  cannot  be  composed  of  more  than  three 
signs,  without  being  dissyllabic  and  consequently  without 
ceasing  to  be  of  the  number  of  primitive  words.  Every 
word  composed  of  more  than  one  syllable  is  necessarily  a 
derivative.  For,  two  roots  are  either  united  or  contract- 
ed; or  else  one  or  several  signs  have  been  joined  to  the 
radical  root  for  its  modification. 

Although  the  etymological  root  may  be  very  well  em- 
ployed as  noun,  verb  or  relation,  all  that,  however,  does 
not  matter,  so  long  as  one  considers  it  as  root ;  seeing  that 
it  offers  in  this  respect  no  determined  idea  of  object,  ac- 
tion or  abstraction.  A  noun  designates  openly  a  parti- 
cular object  of  whatever  nature  it  may  be,  a  verb  ex- 
presses some  sort  of  action,  a  relation  determines  a  rap- 
port: the  root  presents  always  a  meaning  universal  as 
noun,  absolute  as  verb,  and  indeterminate  as  relation, 

107 


108         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Thus  the  root  'N,  formed  of  the  signs  of  power  and  of 
manifestation,  designates,  in  general,  the  centre  toward 
which  the  will  tends,  the  place  where  it  is  fixed,  its  sphere 
of  activity.  Employed  as  noun,  it  is  a  desire,  a  desired 
object:  a  place  distinct  and  separate  from  another  place; 
an  isle,  a  country,  a  region,  a  home,  a  government :  as  verb, 
it  is  the  action  of  desiring  a  thing  eagerly,  of  tending 
toward  a  place,  of  delighting  therein :  as  relation,  it  is  the 
abstract  connection  of  the  place  where  one  is,  of  the  ob- 
ject to  which  one  tends,  of  the  sphere  wherein  one  acts. 

Thus  the  root  IK,  which  unites  to  the  sign  of  power, 
the  universal,  convertible  sign,  image  of  the  mysterious 
knot  which  brings  nothingness  to  being,  offers  even  a 
vaguer  meaning  than  the  root  'tf,  of  which  I  have  spoken, 
and  of  which  it  seems  to  be  a  modification.  Nor  is  it  yet 
a  desire,  even  in  general;  it  is,  so  to  speak,  the  germ  of 
a  desire,  a  vague  appetence,  without  aim  and  without  ob- 
ject; a  desirous  uneasiness,  an  obtuse  sense.  Employed 
as  noun,  it  designates  the  uncertainty  of  the  will;  if  it  is 
made  a  verb,  it  is  the  indeterminate  action  of  willing;  if 
it  is  used  as  relation,  it  is  the  abstract  expression  of  the 
affinity  that  the  uncertainty  or  indetermination  of  the 
will,  establishes  between  one  or  the  other  object  which  at- 
tracts it.  This  root,  considered  rightly  as  primitive,  pro- 
duces a  great  number  of  derivative  roots  by  becoming 
amalgamated  with  other  primitive  roots,  or  receiving  them 
by  the  adjunction  of  the  signs  which  modify  it.  One  finds, 
for  example,  the  following,  which  are  worthy  of  closest  at- 
tention. 

3%t  All  desire  acting  inwardly  and  fructifying.  It 
is,  as  noun,  the  matrix  of  the  Universe,  the  vessel  of  Isis, 
the  Orphic  egg,  the  World,  the  Pythonic  spirit ;  etc. 

TIN  Every  desire  acting  outwardly  and  being  pro- 
pagated. As  noun,  it  is  that  which  binds  cause  to  effect, 
the  causality ;  any  sort  of  emanation ;  as  verb,  it  is  the  ac- 
tion of  emanating,  of  passing  from  cause  to  effect ;  as  re- 
lation, it  is  the  abstract  affinity  according  to  which  one 


FORMATION  OF  ROOT  AND  RELATION      109 

conceives  that  a  thing  exists,  or  takes  place  because  of  an- 
other. 

^IK  Every  expansive  desire  being  projected  into 
space.  As  noun,  it  is  an  interval  of  time  or  place ;  a  dura- 
tion, a  distance ;  as  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  being  extended, 
of  filling,  of  invading  time  or  space;  that  of  waiting  or 
lasting ;  as  relation,  it  is  the  abstract  affinity  expressed  by 
perhaps. 

[IN  Every  desire  spreading  into  infinity,  losing  itself 
in  vacuity,  vanishing:  as  noun,  it  is  everything  and  no- 
thing according  to  the  manner  in  which  one  considers  in- 
finity. 

fyitf  Every  desire  subjugating  another  and  drawing  it 
into  its  vortex:  as  noun,  it  is  the  sympathetic  force,  the 
passion ;  a  final  cause :  as  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  drawing 
into  its  will,  of  enveloping  in  its  vortex :  as  relation,  it  is 
the  abstract  affinity  expressed  by  same,  likewise. 

ptf  Every  desire  leading  to  a  goal.  As  noun,  it  is 
the  very  limit  of  desire,  the  end  to  which  it  tends ;  as  verb, 
it  is  the  action  of  pushing,  of  hastening,  of  pressing  tow- 
ard the  desired  object :  as  relation,  it  is  the  abstract  affinity 
expressed  by  at. 

"TIN  Every  desire  given  over  to  its  own  impulse.  As 
noun,  it  is  ardour,  fire,  passion :  as  verb,  it  is  that  which 
embraces,  burns,  excites,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 

niK  All  sympathizing  desire;  being  in  accord  with 
another.  As  noun  it  is  a  symbol,  a  character,  any  object 
whatever :  as  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  sympathizing,  of  be- 
ing in  accord  with,  of  agreeing,  of  being  en  rapport,  in 
harmony;  as  relation  it  is  the  abstract  affinity  expressed 
by  together. 

I  shall  give  no  more  examples  on  this  subject  since 
my  plan  is  to  give,  in  the  course  of  this  Grammar,  a  series 
of  all  the  Hebraic  roots.  It  is  there  that  I  invite  the  reader 
to  study  their  form.  I  shall  be  careful  to  distinguish  the 
primitive  roots  from  the  compound,  intensive  or  onoma- 
topoetic  roots.  Those  of  the  latter  kind  are  quite  rare  in 


110         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Hebrew.  One  finds  them  in  much  greater  numbers  in 
Arabic  where  many  local  circumstances  have  called 
them  into  existence.  This  concurrence  of  imitative  sounds, 
very  favourable  to  poetry  and  to  all  the  arts  of  imitation, 
must  have  been  greatly  prejudicial  to  the  development  of 
universal  ideas  toward  which  the  Egyptians  directed  their 
greatest  efforts. 

It  is  an  unfortunate  mistake  to  imagine  that  the  ex- 
amination of  Hebraic  roots  is  as  difficult  as  it  is  in  the 
modern  idioms.  In  these  idioms,  raised,  for  the  most  part, 
upon  the  debris  of  many  united  idioms,  the  roots  deeply 
buried  beneath  the  primitive  materials,  can  deceive  the 
eye  of  the  observer;  but  it  cannot  do  thus  in  Hebrew.  This 
tongue,  thanks  to  the  form  of  the  Chaldaic  characters 
which  have  changed  scarcely  anything  but  its  punctua- 
tion, offers  still  to  an  observant  reader  who  does  not  wish 
to  concern  himself  with  the  vowel  points,  the  terms  used 
by  Moses  in  their  native  integrity.  If,  notwithstanding 
the  precautions  of  Esdras,  there  have  crept  in  certain  al- 
terations in  the  mother  vowels  and  even  in  the  consonants, 
these  alterations  are  slight  and  do  not  prevent  the  root, 
nearly  level  with  the  ground,  if  I  may  thus  express  it, 
from  striking  the  eye  of  the  etymologist. 

Let  us  examine  now  what  I  mean  by  the  relations. 

The  relations  are,  as  I  have  said,  extracted  by  thought 
from  the  signs,  nouns  or  verbs.  They  express  always  a 
connection  of  the  sign  with  the  noun,  of  the  noun  with 
the  noun,  or  of  the  noun  with  the  verb.  Thence,  the  simple 
and  natural  division  which  I  establish,  in  three  kinds,  ac- 
cording to  the  part  of  speech  with  which  they  preserve  the 
greatest  analogy.  I  call  designative  relation  or  article, 
that  which  marks  the  connection  of  the  sign  with  the 
noun:  nominal  relation  or  pronoun,  that  which  indicates 
the  connection  of  the  noun  with  the  noun,  or  of  the  noun 
with  the  verb;  and  finally  adverbial  relation  or  adverb. 
that  which  characterizes  the  connection  of  the  verb  with 
the  verb,  or  of  the  verb  with  the  noun.  I  use  here  these 


FORMATION  OF  ROOT  AND  RELATION      111 

denominations  known  as  article,  pronoun  and  adverb  to 
avoid  prolixity;  hut  without  admitting  in  Hebrew  the 
distinctions  or  the  definitions  that  grammarians  have  ad- 
mitted in  other  tongues. 

The  relations,  forming  together  a  kind  of  grammatic- 
al bond  which  circulates  among  the  principal  parts  of 
speech,  must  be  considered  separately,  kind  by  kind,  and 
according  as  they  are  connected  with  the  sign,  noun  or 
verb.  I  am  about  to  speak  of  the  designative  relation  or 
article,  since  I  have  already  made  known  the  sign :  but  I 
shall  put  off  speaking  of  the  nominal  relation,  because  I 
have  already  spoken  of  the  noun,  and  shall  deal  later  with 
the  adverbial  relation  having  already  dealt  with  the  verb. 
The  designative  relation  or  article,  is  represented  un- 
der three  headings  in  the  Hebraic  tongue,  namely:  under 
that  of  the  relation  properly  speaking,  or  article,  of  the 
prepositive  relation,  or  preposition,  and  of  the  interjective 
relation,  or  interjection.  The  article  differs  principally 
from  the  sign,  by  what  it  preserves  of  its  own  peculiar 
force,  and  by  what  it  communicates  to  the  noun  to  which 
it  is  joined ;  a  sort  of  movement  which  changes  nothing  of 
the  primitive  signification  of  this  noun ;  nevertheless  it  is 
strictly  united  there  and  is  composed  of  but  one  single 
character. 

I  enumerate  six  articles  in  Hebrew,  without  includ- 
ing the  designative  preposition  HN>  of  which  I  shall  speak 
later.  They  have  neither  gender  nor  number.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  articles  with  the  kind  of  movement  that 
they  express. 

H  DETERMINATIVE  ARTICLE. — It  determines  the  noun ;  that 
is  to  say,  that  it  draws  the  object  which  it  designates 
from  a  mass  of  similiar  objects  and  gives  it  a  local 
existence.  Derived  from  the  signfl,  which  contains 
the  idea  of  universal  life,  it  presents  itself  under  several 
acceptations  as  article.  By  the  first,  it  points  out 
simply  the  noun  that  it  modifies  and  is  rendered  by 
the  corresponding  articles  the;  this,  that,  these,  those: 


112         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

by  the  second,  it  expresses  a  relation  of  dependence  or 
division,  and  is  translated  of  the;  of  this,  of  that,  of 
these,  of  those:  by  the  third,  it  adds  to  the  noun  before 
which  it  is  placed,  only  an  emphatic  meaning,  a  sort 
of  exclamatory  accent.  In  this  last  acceptation,  it  is 
placed  indifferently  at  the  beginning  or  at  the  end  of 
words  and  is  joined  with  the  greater  part  of  the  other 
articles  without  being  harmful  to  their  movement. 
Therefore  I  call  it  Emphatic  article,  and  when  I  tran- 
slate it,  which  I  rarely  do  lacking  means,  I  render  it 
by  o!  oh!  ah!  or  simply  by  the  exclamation  point  ( !). 

7  DIRECTIVE  ARTICLE. — It  expresses,  with  nouns  or 
actions  whose  movement  it  modifies,  a  direct  relation 
of  union,  of  possession,  or  of  coincidence.  I  translate 
it  by  to,  at,  for,  according  to,  toward,  etc. 

Q  EXTRACTIVE  OR  PARTITIVE  ARTICLE. — The  movement 
which  this  article  expresses,  with  nouns  or  actions  that 
it  modifies,  is  that  by  which  a  noun  or  an  action  is 
taken  for  the  means,  for  the  instrument,  by  which  they 
are  divided  in  their  essence,  or  drawn  from  the  midst 
of  several  other  nouns  or  similar  actions.  I  render  it 
ordinarily  by  from,  out  of,  by;  with,  by  means  of, 
among,  between,  etc. 

1  MEDIATIVE  OR  INTEGRAL  ARTICLE. — This  article  charac- 
terizes with  nouns  or  actions,  almost  the  same  move- 
ment as  the  extractive  article  0,  but  with  more  force, 
and  without  any  extraction  or  division  of  the  parts. 
Its  analogues  are :  in,  by,  with,  while,  etc. 

3  ASSIMILATIVE  ARTICLE. — The  movement  which  it  ex 
presses,  with  nouns  or  actions  is  that  of  similitude,  of 
analogy,  and  of  concomitance.  I  render  it  by:  as, 
similar;  such  as,  according  to,  etc. 

1  CONJUNCTIVE  OR  CONVERTIBLE  ARTICLE. — This  article, 
in  uniting  nouns,  causes  the  movement  of  nothingness, 
of  which  the  character  1  becomes  the  sign,  as  we  havo 
seen :  in  making  actions  pass  from  one  time  to  another. 


FORMATION  OF  ROOT  AND  RELATION       113 

it  exercises  upon  them  the  convertible  faculty  of  which 
this  same  character  is  the  universal  emblem.     Its  con- 
junctive movement  can  be  rendered  by:  and,  also,  thus, 
then,  afterward,  that,  etc.     But  its  convertible  move- 
ment is  not  expressible  in  our  tongue  and  I  do  not 
know  of  any  in  which  it  can  be  expressed.     In  order 
to  perceive  it  one  must  feel  the  Hebraic  genius. 
The  chapters  wherein  I  shall  treat  of  the  noun  and  the 
verb  will  contain  the  necessary  examples  to  illustrate  the 
use  of  these  six  articles  whether  relative  to  the  noun  or 
the  verb. 


§  III. 

PREPOSITION  AND  INTERJECTION. 

Articles,  which  we  shall  now  examine,  remain  ar- 
ticles, properly  speaking,  only  so  far  as  they  are  com- 
posed of  a  single  literal  character  and  as  they  are  joined 
intimately  to  the  noun,  the  verb  or  the  relation  which  they 
govern ;  when  they  are  composed  of  several  characters  and 
when  they  act  apart  or  are  simply  united  ta  words  by  a 
hyphen,  I  call  them  prepositive  articles  or  prepositions: 
they  become  interjections  when,  in  this  state  of  isolation, 
they  offer  no  longer  any  relation  with  the  noun  or  the 
verb,  and  express  only  a  movement  of  the  mind  too  intense 
to  be  otherwise  characterized. 

Prepositions,  'intended  to  serve  as  link  between  things, 
and  to  show  their  respective  function,  lose  their  meaning 
when  once  separated  from  the  noun  which  they  modify. 
Interjections,  on  the  contrary,  have  only  as  much  force  as 
they  have  independence.  Differing  but  little  in  sound, 
they  differ  infinitely  in  the  expression,  more  or  less  accen- 
tuated, that  they  receive  from  the  sentiment  which  pro- 
duces them.  They  belong,  as  a  learned  man  has  said,  "to 
all  time,  to  all  places,  to  all  peoples" :  they  form  an  uni- 
versal language.1 

I  am  a.bout  to  give  here,  the  prepositions  and  inter- 
jections which  are  the  most  important  to  understand,  so 
as  to  fix  the  ideas  of  the  reader  upon  the  use  of  these  kinds 
of  relations.  I  am  beginning  with  those  prepositions 
which  take  the  place  of  the  articles  already  cited. 

J  NH  determinative  prep,  replaces  the  article  n  • 
J  ty  or  *?$  ^N  directive  "  «          "        «     *? , 

or  »iO  /|P  extractive  «  "          «        «      0. 

1  Court  de  Geb:  Gramm.  Univ.  p.  353. 

114 


PREPOSITION  AND  INTERJECTION 


115 


or  HD  ,O  mediativc     prep,  replaces  the  article     3 , 
or  ftp  ,'p  assimilative     "  "  "         «          ^, 

The  conjunctive  and  convertible  article 
1  is  not  replaceable. 

fiN  dcsignative  preposition:  has  no  correspond- 
ing article. 
D.3  'DJ  same,  also,  as 

J  '3  that 
y  ^k  conjunctive  prepositions 

N  likewise,  even 

X  either,  or      } 

5  neither,  nor  >  disjunctive  prepositions 

5  without         ) 

Nf  but,  except       \ 

nevertheless       >  restrictive  prepositions 
'•  p"1  save,  at  least    ) 
D^  »3  »DN  if,  but  if 
j  >^x  perhaps 

besides,  moreover  L^.^ 
very,  more  ) 


conditional  prepositions 


near,  with         / 
at,  as  far  as  j 

for 

according  to 
for,  because 
on  account  of 
since 
therefore 
V  now  then,  so 

m 

tc.,  etc., 


prepositions 


discursive  prepositions 


116         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

INTERJECTIONS. 


/IN  »n«    ah  !  woe  !  alas  ! 
:  KH  ul    oh  !  heavens  ! 
J  flNH    now  then  !  come  now  ! 
take  care  !  mind  ! 
indeed  ! 
would  to  God! 
etc.,  etc., 

I  believe  it  quite  useless  to  prolong  this  list  and  to 
dwell  upon  the  particular  signification  of  each  of  these  re- 
lations; however,  there  is  one  of  which  I  must  speak,  be- 
cause its  usage  is  very  frequent  in  the  tongue  of  Moses, 
and  also  because  we  shall  see  it  soon  figuring  in  the  nom- 
inal inflection,  and  joining  its  movement  to  that  of  the  ar- 
ticles. This  is  the  designative  preposition  fiN,  which  I 
have  mentioned  as  having  no  corresponding  article. 

The  movement  which  expresses  this  preposition  with 
the  nouns  which  it  modifies,  is  that  by  which  it  puts  them 
en  rapport  as  governing  or  governed,  as  independent  one 
of  the  other  and  participating  in  the  same  action.  I  name 
it  designative,  on  account  of  the  sign  of  signs,  fi,  from 
which  it  is  derived.  It  characterizes  sympathy  and  reci- 
procity when  it  is  taken  substantively.  Joined  to  a  noun 
by  a  hyphen  TIN,  it  designates  the  substance  proper  and 
individual,  the  identity,  the  selfsameness,  the  seity,  the 
thou-ness,  if  I  may  be  permitted  this  word;  that  is  to  say, 
that  which  constitutes  tliou,  that  which  implies  something 
apart  from  me,  a  thing  that  is  not  me;  in  short,  the  pre- 
sence of  another  substance.  This  important  preposition, 
of  which  I  cannot  give  the  exact  meaning,  indicates  the 
coincidence,  the  spontaneity  of  actions,  the  liaison,  the 
ensemble  and  the  dependence  of  things. 

The  designative  relation  that  I  am  considering  in  con- 
nection with  the  article,  preposition  and  interjection,  will 


PREPOSITION  AND  INTERJECTION          117 

be  easily  distinguished  from  the  nominal  relation  concern- 
ing which  I  shall  speak  later  on;  because  this  relation  is 
not  intended  either  to  modify  nouns  or  to  set  forth  the 
confused  and  indeterminate  movements  of  the  mind;  but 
serves  as  supplement  to  nouns,  becomes  their  lieutenant, 
so  to  speak,  and  shows  their  mutual  dependence.  This 
same  relation  will  not  be,  it  is  true,  so  easy  to  distinguish 
from  the  adverbial  relation,  and  I  admit  that  often  one 
will  meet  with  some  that  are,  at  the  same  time,  preposi- 
tions and  adverbs.  But  this  very  analogy  will  furnish  the 
proof  of  what  I  have  advanced,  that  the  relation  extracted 
by  thought,  from  the  sign,  the  noun  and  the  verb,  cir- 
culates among  these  three  principal  parts  of  speech  and  is 
modified  to  serve  them  as  common  bond. 

One  can  observe,  for  example,  that  the  designative  re- 
lation tends  to  become  adverbial  and  that  it  becomes  thus 
whenever  it  is  used  in  an  absolute  manner  with  the  verb, 
or  when  the  article  is  joined,  making  it  a  sort  of  adverbial 
substantive.  Therefore  one  can  judge  that  upon,  in,  out- 
side, are  designative  relations,  or  prepositions  when  one 
says:  upon  that;  in  the  present;  outside  this  point:  but 
one  cannot  mistake  them  for  adverbials  when  one  says: 
/  am  above;  I  am  within;  I  am  icithout.  It  is  in  this  state 
that  they  are  taken  to  be  inflected  with  the  article.  I  see 
the  above,  the  icithin,  the  without;  I  come  from  above, 
from  within,  from  without;  I  go  above,  within,  without; 
etc.  The  Hebraic  tongue,  which  has  not  tliese  means  of 
construction,  makes  use  of  the  same  words  JTD  pH  /*?# 
to  express  equally  upon,  above,  the  upper  part;  in,  the  in- 
side; out,  beyond,  the  outside.  It  is  to  these  fine  points 
that  great  attention  must  be  given  in  translating  Moses. 

As  to  the  vowel  points  which  accompany  the  different 
relations  of  which  I  shall  speak,  they  vary  in  such  a  way, 
that  it  would  be  vainly  wasting  precious  time  to  consider 
them  here;  so  much  the  more  as  these  variations  change 
nothing  as  to  the  meaning,  which  alone  concerns  me,  and 
alters  only  the  pronunciation,  which  does  not  concern  me. 


118         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

I  am  always  surprised,  in  reading  the  majority  of  the 
Grammars  written  upon  the  Hebraic  tongue,  to  see  with 
what  scruples,  with  what  tedious  care  they  treat  a  miser- 
able kamez,  or  a  still  more  miserable  kamez-hatif;  whereas 
they  hardly  deign  to  dwell  upon  the  meaning  of  the  most 
important  words.  Numberless  pages  are  found  jumbled 
with  the  uncouth  names  of  zere,  segol,  patah,  holem,  and 
not  one  where  the  sign  is  mentioned,  not  one  where  it  is 
even  a  question  of  this  basis,  at  once  so  simple  and  so 
fecund,  both  of  the  Hebraic  language  and  of  all  the  lang- 
uages of  the  world. 


CHAPTER  V. 
THE  NOUN. 

THE  NOUN  CONSIDERED  UNDER  SEVEN 
RELATIONS. 

§  I. 
ETYMOLOGY 

The  noun,  I  repeat,  is  the  basis  of  speech;  for,  al- 
though it  may  be  the  product  of  the  sign,  the  sign  with- 
out it  would  have  no  meaning,  and  if  the  sign  had  no 
meaning,  there  would  exist  neither  relations  nor  verbs. 

We  shall  consider  the  nouns  of  the  Hebraic  tongue, 
under  seven  relations,  namely :  under  the  first  six,  of  Ety- 
mology, Quality,  Gender,  Number,  Movement  and  Con- 
struction, and  then,  under  the  seventh  relation  of  Signi- 
fication, which  includes  them  all. 

The  Hebraist  grammarians,  dazzled  by  the  eclat  of 
the  verb  and  by  the  extensive  use  of  the  verbal  faculties, 
have  despoiled  the  noun  of  its  etymological  rank  to  give 
it  to  the  verb,  thus  deriving  from  the  verb  not  only  the 
equi-literal  substantives,  that  is  to  say,  compounds  of  the 
same  number  of  characters,  but  even  those  which  offer 
less :  claiming,  for  example,  that  ^Jl  a  heap,  is  formed  from 
*7ty  he  heaps  up;  that  D^  father,  is  derived  from  I"QN  he 
willed;  that  C'K  the  fire,  finds  its  origin  in  WffK  he  was 
strong  and  robust,  etc. 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  say  into  how  many  errors  they 
have  fallen  by  this  false  course,  and  how  far  distant  they 
are  from  the  real  etymological  goal.  The  lexicons  also, 

119 


120         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

of  these  Hebraists,  all  constructed  after  this  method,  are 
only  crude  vocabularies,  where  the  simplest  words,  thrown 
more  or  less  far  from  their  root,  according  as  the  verb  bids 
it,  are  presented  almost  never  in  their  real  place,  or  in  the 
true  light  which  would  facilitate  their  comprehension. 

I  have  spoken  sufficiently  of  the  sign  and  its  value, 
of  the  root  and  its  formation ;  I  now  intend  to  give  certain 
simple  rules  to  lead  to  the  etymological  understanding  of 
the  noun. 

Often  a  noun  properly  speaking,  is,  in  the  tongue  of 
the  Hebrews,  only  its  root  used  in  a  more  restricted  sense : 
as  when  uniting  the  idea  of  paternity  and  maternity  upon 
a  single  subject,  one  pronounces  3K,  father,  or  ON  mother. 
It  is  then  a  movement  of  the  thought  upon  itself,  which 
makes  of  a  thing  that  it  had  conceived  in  general,  a  deter- 
mined thing,  by  which  it  qualifies  a  particular  subject. 
This  movement  is  very  common  in  the  idiom  of  Moses,  and 
it  merits  so  much  the  more  attention,  because,  not  having 
observed  it,  the  greater  part  of  the  translators  have  been 
mistaken  in  the  meaning  of  the  words  and  have  ridicul- 
ously particularized  what  was  universal.  As  when,  for 
example,  inj^y,  a  vegetable  substance,  a  vegetation  in 
general,  they  have  seen  a  wood,  or  a  tree:  or  in  p  ,  an  en- 
closure, a  circumscription,  a  sphere,  only  a  garden :  or  even 
in  D"f,  the  universal  idea  of  an  assimilation  of  homogene- 
ous parts,  they  have  seen  only  blood;  etc. 

When  a  noun  is  composed  of  three  or  more  conson- 
ants, and  when  it  is  of  more  than  one  syllable,  it  is  obvi- 
ously a  derivative.  It  is  in  the  examination  of  its  root  that 
the  art  of  the  etymologist  shines.  He  must  master  both 
the  value  of  each  sign  and  the  position  that  it  takes, 
whether  at  the  beginning  or  the  end  of  words,  and  the  dif- 
ferent modifications  which  it  brings  about;  for,  to  under- 
stand the  root  clearly,  it  is  necessary  to  know  how  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  sign,  or  from  the  article  by  which  it 
is  modified.  If  the  etj^mologist  would  acquire  a  science 
which  opens  the  door  to  the  loftiest  conceptions,  he  must 


NOUN  UNDER  SEVEN  RELATIONS  121 

be  provided  with  the  faculties  and  the  necessary  means. 
If  long  study  of  tongues  in  general,  and  the  Hebraic 
tongue  in  particular,  can  lend  a  little  confidence  in  my 
abilities,  I  beg  the  reader,  interested  in  an  art  too  little 
cultivated,  to  study  carefully,  both  the  series  of  Hebraic 
roots  which  I  give  him  at  the  close  of  this  Grammar  and 
the  numerous  notes  which  accompany  my  translation  of 
the  Cosmogony  of  Moses. 

The  work  of  Court  de  Gobelin  is  a  vast  storehouse  of 
words,  which  one  ought  to  possess  without  being  a  slave 
to  it.  This  painstaking  man  had  intellect  rather  than 
etymological  genius ;  he  searched  well ;  he  classed  well  his 
materials ;  but  he  constructed  badly.  His  merit,  is  having 
introduced  the  Primitive  tongue;  his  fault,  is  having  in- 
troduced it  to  his  reader  in  a  thousand  scattered  frag- 
ments. The  genius  will  consist  in  reassembling  these 
fragments  to  form  a  whole.  I  offer  in  this  Grammar  an 
instrument  to  attain  this  end.  It  is  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE 
DERIVED  WHOLLY  FROM  THE  SIGN. 

Here  are  the  general  principles  which  can  be  drawn 
from  the  work  of  Gebelin  relative  to  etymological  science. 
I  add  some  developments  that  experience  has  suggested 
to  me. 

Particular  tongues  are  only  the  dialects  of  an  uni- 
versal tongue  founded  upon  nature,  and  of  which  a  spark 
of  the  Divine  word  animates  the.  elements.  This  tongue, 
that  no  people  has  ever  possessed  in  its  entirety,  can  be 
called  the  Primitive  tongue.  This  tongue,  from  which  all 
others  spring  as  from  an  unique  trunk,  is  composed  only 
of  monosyllabic  roots,  all  adhering  to  a  small  number  of 
signs.  In  proportion  as  the  particular  tongues  become 
mingled  with  one  another  and  separated  from  their  pri- 
mitive stock,  the  words  become  more  and  more  altered: 
therefore  it  is  essential  to  compare  many  languages  in 
order  to  obtain  the  understanding  of  a  single  one. 

It  is  necessary  to  know  that  all  vowels  tend  to  be- 
come consonants,  and  all  consonants  to  become  vowels; 


122         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

to  consider  this  movement;  to  follow  it  in  its  modifica- 
tions; to  distinguish  carefully  the  mother  vowel  from  the 
vague  vowel  and  when  one  is  assured  that  the  vocal  sound 
which  enters  into  the  composition  of  a  word,  descends  from 
a  vague  vowel,  give  it  no  further  attention.  One  will  at- 
tain to  this  final  understanding,  by  the  study  of  the  Heb- 
raic tongue,  where  the  difference  which  exists  between 
these  two  sorts  of  vowels  is  decisive. 

It  is  necessary  to  consider  besides,  that,  in  the  gen- 
eration of  tongues,  the  consonants  are  substituted  for  one 
another,  particularly  those  of  the  same  organic  sound. 
Therefore  it  is  well  to  classify  them  by  the  sound  and  to 
know  them  under  this  new  relation. 

Labial  sound :  2,  £)/  1 :  B,  P,  PH,  F,  V.  This  sound, 
being  the  easiest,  is  the  first  of  which  children  make  use ; 
it  is  generally  that  of  gentleness  and  mildness  considered 
as  onomatopoetic. 

Dental  sound:  "I/  D  :  D,  T.  It  expresses,  on  the  con- 
trary, all  that  which  touches,  thunders,  resounds,  resists, 
protects. 

Lingual  sound :  *?/  *1 :  L,  LL,  LH,  R,  RH.  It  expresses 
a  rapid  movement,  either  rectilinear  or  circular,  in  what- 
ever sense  one  imagines  it,  always  considered  as  onoma- 
topoetic. 

Nasal  sound :  O ,  1  :  M,  N,  GN.  It  expresses  all  that 
which  passes  from  without  within,  or  which  emerges  from 
within  without. 

Guttural  sound :  J ,  2  ,  # ,  p:  GH,  CH,  WH,  K,  Q.  It 
expresses  deep,  hollow  objects,  contained  one  within  the 
other,  or  modelled  by  assimilation. 

Hissing  sound:  I  D,  ¥  :  Z,  S,  X,  TZ,  DZ,  PS.  It  is 
applied  to  all  hissing  objects,  to  all  those  which  have  re- 
lation with  the  air,  or  which  cleave  it  in  their  course. 

Sibilant  sound:  \  V,  D :  J,  G,  CH,  SH,  TH.  It  ex- 
presses light  movements,  soft  and  durable  sounds;  all 
pleasing  objects. 


NOUN  UNDER  SEVEN  RELATIONS  123 

The  consonants  thus  distinguished  by  sound,  become 
the  general  signs  from  which  the  onomatopoetic  roots  of 
which  I  have  spoken,  are  formed,  and  are  very  easily  put 
one  in  the  place  of  the  other.  In  the  derivative  tongues 
they  even  lend  mutual  aid  in  passing  from  one  sound  to  an- 
other, and  it  is  then  that  they  render  the  etymology  of  the 
words  more  and  more  uncertain.  The  etymologist  can 
only  surmount  the  numerous  obstacles  in  the  modern 
idioms,  by  having  stored  in  his  mind  a  number  of  tongues 
whose  radical  words  can  assist  him  readily  in  going  back 
to  the  idiomatic  or  primitive  root  of  the  word  which  he 
analyzes.  Never  can  one  hope  by  the  aid  of  a  single 
tongue,  to  form  good  etymology. 

As  to  the  mother  vowels,  X,  tl,  fl  1,  1, »,  $;  A,  E,  E,  OU, 
O,  I,  HO;  they  are  substituted  successively  one  for  the 
other,  from  K  to  V ;  they  all  incline  to  become  consonants 
and  to  become  extinct  in  the  deep  and  guttural  sound  D, 
which  can  be  represented  by  the  Greek  x  or  the  German  ch. 
I  always  mark  this  ch  with  an  accent  grave  in  order  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  French  ch,  which  is  a  hissing  sound 
like  the  t^of  the  Hebrews,  or  the  sh  of  the  English. 

After  having  set  forth  these  etymological  principles, 
I  pass  on  to  the  next  rules,  relative  to  their  employment; 
very  nearly  such  as  Court  de  Gebelin  gives  them. 

One  should  not  take  for  granted  any  alteration  in  a 
word  that  one  may  not  be  able  to  prove  by  usage  or  by 
analogy;  nor  confuse  the  radical  characters  of  a  word 
with  the  accessory  characters,  which  are  only  added  signs 
or  articles.  The  words  should  be  classified  by  families 
and  none  admitted  unless  it  has  been  grammatically  ana- 
lyzed: primitives,  should  be  distinguished  from  com- 
pounds and  all  forced  etymology  carefully  avoided:  and 
finally,  an  historical  or  moral  proof  should  corroborate 
the  etymology;  for  the  sciences  proceed  with  certain  step 
only  as  they  throw  light  upon  each  other. 


511. 

QUALITY 

I  call  Quality,  in  the  Hebraic  nouns,  the  distinction 
which  I  establish  among  them  and  by  means  of  which  I 
divide  them  into  four  classes,  namely :  substantives,  qua- 
lificatives,  modificatives,  and  facultatives. 

Substantives  are  applied  to  all  that  has  physical  or 
moral  substance,  the  existence  of  which  the  thought  of  man 
admits  either  by  evidence  of  the  senses,  or  by  that  of  the 
intellectual  faculties.  Substantives  are  proper  or  com- 
mon: 'proper  when  they  are  applied  to  a  single  being,  or 
to  a  single  thing  in  particular,  as  fl^'D  Mosheh  (Moses), 
PO  Noah,  DH¥Q  Mitzraim  (Egypt)  etc.;  common,  when 
they  are  applied  to  all  beings,  or  to  all  things  of  the  same 
kind,  as  Btyt  man  (intelligent  being) ;  &5>N*l  head  (that 
which  rules  or  enjoys  by  its  own  movement) ;  ^P  king  (a 
temporal  and  local  deputy) ;  etc. 

Qualificatives  express  the  qualities  of  the  substantives 
and  offer  them  to  the  imagination  under  the  form  which 
characterizes  them.  The  grammarians  in  naming  them 
adjectives,  have  given  them  a  denomination  too  vague  to 
be  preserved  in  a  grammar  of  the  nature  of  this  one.  This 
class  of  nouns  expresses  more  than  a  simple  adjunction; 
it  expresses  the  very  quality  or  the  form  of  the  substance, 
as  in  DID  good,  VhJ  great,  pHV  just,  H^p  Hebrew;  etc. 

The  tongue  of  Moses  is  not  rich  in  qualificatives,  but 
it  obviates  this  lack  by  the  energy  of  its  articles,  by  that 
of  its  verbal  facultatives  and  by  the  various  extensions 
which  it  gives  to  its  substantives  by  joining  them  to  certain 
initial  or  terminative  characters.  It  has,  for  example,  in 
the  emphatic  article  JT  a  means  of  intensity  of  which  it 

124 


QUALITY  125 

makes  great  use,  either  in  placing  it  at  the  beginning  or 
the  end  of  words.  Thus,  of  ^HJ  a  torrent,  it  makes  rfrro 
a  very  rapid  torrent;  of  "ffif?  disappearance,  absence,  it 
makes  niflf)  an  eternal  absence,  a  total  disappearance; 
fllO  death,  it  makes  nfiiOJl  a  violent,  cruel,  sudden  death, 
etc.  Sometimes  it  adds  to  this  article,  the  sign  of  reci- 
procity n ,  to  augment  its  force.  Then  one  finds  for  1J^ 
a  support,  an  aid,  ftfTW  a  firm  support,  an  accomplished 
aid;  for  fTO'K  terror,  ?V10'N  extreme  terror,  frightful  ter- 
ror; for  fTjfllP*  safety,  refuge,  finjW*  o>n  assured  safety, 
an  inaccessible  refuge;  etc. 

The  assimilative  article  3  .  forms  a  kind  of  qualifica- 
tive  of  the  noun  which  it  governs.  It  is  thus  that  one 
should  understand  D*!!f?SO  like  unto  the  Gods,  or  divine; 
|n33  like  unto  the  priest,  or  sacerdotal;  D^p  like  unto  the 
people,  or  vulgar;  Dl'CO  like  to-day,  or  modern;  etc. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  sign  fi  placed  at  the  beginning 
of  a  word  expresses  reciprocity.  JT3£f  signifies  pain,  iTJtffi 
mutual  pain. 

The  sign  D.  when  it  is  initial,  is  related  to  exterior 
action;  when  final,  on  the  contrary,  it  becomes  expansive 
and  collective.  "TIN  signifies  any  force  whatever,  *7lNO 
a  circumscribed  and  local  force;  0*7)8  an  exterior,  inva- 
ding force. 

The  sign  3 .  is  that  of  passive  action  when  it  is  at  the 
head  of  words;  but  at  the  end,  it  constitutes  an  augmen- 
tative syllable  which  extends  its  signification.  fTJOtf 
signifies  a  veil,  |"]!£$  an  immense  veil,  the  enclosure  of  a 
tent;  NJ4  characterizes  an  extension,  and  JK13  an  unlimited 
extension,  inordinate;  DP?  expresses  a  noise,  and  |10JJ 
a  frightful  noise,  a  terrible  tumult,  a  revolt;  etc. 

I  pass  over  these  details  of  which  my  footnotes  on 


126         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

the  Cosmogony  of  Moses  will  afford  sufficient  examples. 
It  will  be  enough  for  me  here  to  indicate  the  grammatical 
forms. 

The  rabbis,  in  writing  modern  Hebrew,  form  the  qua- 
lificatives  by  the  addition  of  the  character  *  to  the  mascu- 
line, and  the  syllable  JT »  to  the  feminine.  They  say,  for 
example,  T^K  divine  (mas.)  and  JVn1?^  divine  (fern.). 
'K^£jJ  spiritual  (mas.)  and  JVi^'jM  spiritual  (fern.).  Then 
they  draw  from  these  qualificatives  a  mass  of  substantive 
nouns,  such  as  mn^tf  the  divinity;  JTfrlK  fortitude;  fW'dJ 
spirituality;  fiWT  tenderness;  etc.  These  forms  do  not 
belong  to  primitive  Hebrew. 

The  comparative  among  qualificatives  is  not  strictly 
characterized  in  the  Hebraic  tongue.  When  it  is  estab- 
lished, which  is  somewhat  rare,  it  is  by  means  of  the  ex- 
tractive article  0.  or  by  the  preposition  |D  which  cor- 
responds. 

The  superlative  is  expressed  in  many  ways.  Some- 
times one  finds  either  the  substantive  or  the  qualificative 
doubled,  in  order  to  give  the  idea  that  one  has  of  their 
force  or  their  extent;  sometimes  they  are  followed  by  an 
absolute  relative  to  designate  that  nothing  is  comparable 
to  them.  At  other  times  the  adverbial  relation  "TNp  very, 
very  much,  as  much  as  possible,  indicates  that  one  con- 
ceives them  as  having  attained  their  measure  in  good  or 
in  evil,  according  to  their  nature.  Finally  one  meets  dif- 
ferent periphrases  and  different  formulas  of  which  I  here- 
with offer  several  examples. 


QUALITY  127 

p'"!V  &**  n'j  N  o  a  h,  intelligent  b  e  i  n  g 
(man),  just  with  integrity 
(as  just  as  upright). 

J9$r0  Dt?  aiD     a  good  name,  of  good  essence 
(a  name  of  high  repute  is  the 
best  essence), 
n  D'aitO     good  the  two  of  a  single  one 

(two  are  better  than  one). 
J  TOQ  Hop    J  IT)  JH     b  ad,  e  v  i  1  (wicked) ;  down, 

down  (beneath). 

:  on^TT  DHNrrfO    among  the  red,   red    (much 
redder). 

JDf)     small    among    people    (very 

small). 
n&    a  mountain,  the  good,  that 

one  (the  best  of  all). 
DID     good  exceedingly    (as  much 

as  possible). 
:  D'OfcT?  W'l  D»0pn    the  heavens  and  the  heaven 

of  heavens. 

God   of  Gods  and  Lord   of 

Lords. 

servant  of  the  servants. 

the  obscurity  of  darkness. 

the  flame  of  Jah !  the  dark- 
ness of  Jah!  (extremes), 
the  cedars  of  God!   (admir- 
able, very  beautiful), 
a   great   city !   according   to 
Him-the-Gods ! 

strong  according  to  the  Lord ! 

(very  strong). 

a    burning;    with    might    of 

might. 


128         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTORED 

Modificatives  are  the  substantives  or  the  qualificatives 
modified  either  by  a  simple  abstraction  of  thought,  or  by 
the  addition  of  an  adverbial  relation,  so  as  to  become  the 
expression  of  an  action  understood.  It  is  not  unusual  to 
find  in  Hebrew,  nouns  which  can  be  taken,  at  the  same 
time,  as  substantives,  qualificatives  or  modificatives ;  all 
by  a  movement  of  abstraction,  and  this  is  easy  when  the 
idiom  is  not  far  removed  from  its  source.  Thus,  for  ex- 
ample 31D  good,  signifies  equally  the  good,  and  the  good 
manner  in  which  a  thing  is  done :  JD  evil,  signifies  equally 
that  which  is  evil,  and  the  evil  manner  in  which  a  thing 
is  done.  One  perceives  that  the  words  good  and  evil,  have 
exactly  the  same  signification  as  the  Hebraic  words  DID 
and  JTl.  as  substantives,  and  that  they  contain  the  same 
qualificative  and  modificative  faculties.  I  have  chosen 
them  expressly  so  as  to  show  how  this  abstraction  of 
thought  of  which  I  have  spoken,  is  accomplished. 

Modificative  nouns  which  are  formed  by  the  addition 
of  a  designative  or  adverbial  relation  as  in  French,  a-la- 
mode  (in  the  fashion),  a-outrance  (to  the  utmost),  forte- 
ment  (strongly),  douce-ment  (gently),  are  very  rare  in 
Hebrew.  One  finds,  however,  certain  ones  such  as 
JV"tWl~3»  in  the  "beginning,  in-principle;  fV'TliT.  in  Jew- 
ish; rV"*Wy'N"0  from  the  Assyrian;  etc.  The  nouns  of 
number  belong  at  the  same  time  to  substantives,  qualifica- 
tives and  modificatives.  ^fTN  f  one,  can  signify  alike,  unity, 
unique  and  uniquely. 

Facultative  nouns  are  the  substantives,  verbalized,  as 
it  were,  and  in  which  the  absolute  verb  filn  •  to  be-being, 
begins  to  make  its  influence  felt.  The  grammarians  have 
called  them  up  to  this  time  participles,  but  I  treat  this 
weak  denomination,  as  I  have  treated  the  one  which  they 
have  given  to  qualificatives.  I  replace  it  by  another  which 
I  believe  more  just. 

Facultatives  merit  particular,  attention  in  all  tongues, 
but  especially  in  that  of  Moses,  where  they  present  more 


QUALITY  129 

openly  than  in  any  other,  the  link  which  unites  the  sub- 
stantive to  the  verb,  and  which,  by  an  inexplicable  power, 
makes  of  a  substance  inert  and  without  action,  an  ani- 
mated substance  being  carried  suddenly  toward  a  deter- 
mined end.  It  is  by  means  of  the  sign  of  light  and  of 
intellectual  sense,  1,  that  this  metamorphosis  is  accom- 
plished. This  is  remarkable.  If  I  take,  for  example,  the 
substantive  t<p .  which  expresses  all  physical  movement  all 
moral  affection;  if  I  introduce  between  the  first  and  sec- 
ond character  which  compose  it,  the  verbal  sign  1i 
I  obtain  immediately  the  continued  facultative,  UV)i 
to  bc-moving,  affecting,  agitating.  If  I  modify  this  sign, 
that  is  to  say,  if  I  give  it  its  convertible  nature  1>  and  if  I 
place  it  between  the  second  and  third  character  of  the 
substantive  in  question,  I  obtain  then  the  finished  facul- 
tative fijn .  to  be-moved,  affected,  agitated.  It  is  the  same 
with  TI^O  a  king,  whose  continued  and  finished  facul- 
tatives  are  H^iO  to  bc-ruling,  governing;  HwO  to  be-ruled, 
governed,  and  many  others. 

It  can  be  observed  that  I  name  continued  facultative, 
what  the  grammarians  call  present  participle,  and  finished 
that  which  they  call  past;  because  in  effect,  the  action 
expressed  by  these  facultatives  is  not,  properly  speaking, 
present  -or  past,  but  continued  or  finished  in  any  time 
whatever.  One  says  clearly  it  was  burning,  it  is  burning, 
it  will  be  burning;  it  was  burned,  it  is  burned,  it  will  be 
burned.  Now  who  cannot  see  that  the  facultatives  burn- 
ing and  burned,  are  by  turns,  both  past,  present  and 
future?  They  both  participate  in  these  three  tenses  with 
the  difference,  that  the  first  is  always  continued  and  the 
other  always  finished. 

But  let  us  return.  It  is  from  the  finished  facultative 
that  the  verb  conies,  as  I  shall  demonstrate  later  on.  This 
facultative,  by  means  of  which  speech  receives  verbal  life, 
is  formed  from  the  primitive  root  by  the  introduction  of 


130         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

the  sign   1  •    between  the  two  characters  of  which  it  is 
composed.     Thus,  for  example: 

The  root  Dt^  contains  every  idea  of  eleva- 
tion, erection,  or  monument, 
raised  as  indication  of  a 
place  or  thing: 

thence:  Dt^  or  Dl£>    to   be   erecting,   stating,    de- 
creeing, designating: 
D15?    to    be   erected,    stated,    etc., 
whence  the  verb  DIC^  to  erect. 
The  root  ^3    contains  every  idea  of  con- 
summation,   of    totalization, 
of  agglomeration,  of  absorp- 
tion: 

thence:  ^J  or  *7O    to  be  consummating,  totaliz- 
ing, agglomerating: 
*TO    to  be  consummated,  agglome- 
rated: whence  the  verb  'TO, 
to  consummate. 

The  root  *?)   expresses  every  idea  of  heap- 
ing up,  lifting  up,  of  move- 
ment which  carries  upward 
from  below: 
thence:  *7j  or   'Ttt     to  be  heaping  up,  lifting  up, 

pushing,  leaping: 
'n.J    to  be  heaped  up,  lifted  up; 
whence  the  verb  ^U)  to  heap 
up. 

As  I  shall  be  obliged  to  return  to  this  formation  of 
the  facultatives,  in  the  chapter  in  which  I  shall  treat  of 
the  verb,  it  is  needless  for  me  to  dwell  further  upon  it 
now.  I  cannot,  however,  refrain  from  making  the  observa- 
tion that  since  the  institution  of  the  Chaldaic  punctua- 
tion, the  points  kamez,  holem,  and  even  zere,  have  often 
replaced  the  verbal  sign  1  in  the  continued  facultative, 


QUALITY  131 

whether  of  compound  or  radical  origin,  and  that  one  finds 
quite  commonly  Ul  to  be  moving;  Tj^O  to  be  ruling;  Dp 
to  be  establishing;  fiD  to  be  dying;  etc.  But  two  things 
prove  that  this  is  an  abuse  of  punctuation.  The  first  is, 
that  when  the  continued  facultative  presents  itself  in  an 
absolute  manner,  and  when  nothing  can  determine  the 
meaning,  then  the  sign  reappears  irresistibly;  as  in  the 
following  examples,  Dip  the  action  of  establishing,  or  to 
be  establishing:  filO  the  action  of  dying,  or  to  be  dying. 
The  second  thing  which  proves  the  abuse  of  which  I  am 
speaking,  is  that  the  rabbis  who  preserve  to  a  certain 
point  the  oral  tradition,  never  fail  to  make  the  mother 
vowel  1>  appear  in  these  same  facultatives  unless  they 
deem  it  more  suitable  to  substitute  its  analogues  *  or  'K, 
writing  Dip/  D'p  or  D'Np,  to  be  establishing,  to  establish, 
the  action  of  establishing. 

I  shall  terminate  this  paragraph  by  saying  that 
facultatives  both  continued  and  finished,  are  subject  to 
the  same  inflections  as  the  substantive  and  qualificative 
nouns,  that  is,  of  gender,  number,  movement  and  con- 
struction. The  modificative  noun  does  not  have  the  inflec- 
tions of  the  others  because  it  contains  an  implied  action, 
and  since  it  has,  as  I  shall  demonstrate,  the  part  of  itself 
which  emanates  from  the  verb  to  be,  wholly  immutable 
and  consequently  inflexible. 


§  III. 

GENDER 

Gender  is  distinguished  at  first  by  the  sex,  male  or 
female,  or  by  a  sort  of  analogy,  of  similitude,  which  ap- 
pears to  exist  among  things,  and  the  sex  which  is  assigned 
to  them  by  speech.  The  Hebraic  tongue  has  two  genders 
only,  the  masculine  and  the  feminine;  notwithstanding 
the  efforts  that  the  grammarians  have  made  to  discover 
in  it  a  third  and  even  a  fourth  which  they  have  called 
common  or  epicene.  These  so-called  genders  are  only  the 
liberty  allowed  the  speaker  of  giving  to  such  or  such  sub- 
stantive the  masculine  or  feminine  gender,  indifferently, 
and  according  to  the  circumstance :  if  these  genders  merit 
any  attention,  it  is  when  passing  into  the  derivative 
tongues,  and  in  taking  a  particular  form  there,  that  they 
have  constituted  the  neuter  gender  which  one  encounters 
in  many  of  them. 

The  feminine  gender  is  derived  from  the  masculine, 
and  is  formed  by  adding  to  the  substantive,  qualificative 
or  facultative  noun,  the  sign  fl  which  is  that  of  life. 
The  modificative  nouns  have  no  gender,  because  they 
modify  actions  and  not  things,  as  do  the  other  kinds  of 
words. 

I  beg  the  reader  who  follows  me  with  any  degree  of 
interest,  to  observe  the  force  and  constancy  with  which 
is  demonstrated  everywhere,  the  power  that  I  have  attri- 
buted to  the  sign,  a  power  upon  which  I  base  the  whole 
genius  of  the  tongue  of  Moses. 

I  have  said  that  the  feminine  gender  is  formed  from 
the  masculine  by  the  addition  of  the  sign  of  life  HJ  was 
it  possible  to  imagine  a  sign  of  happier  expression,  to 
indicate  the  sex  by  which  all  beings  appear  to  owe  life, 
this  blessing  of  the  Divinity? 

132 


GENDER  133 


Thus  T|p  a  king,  produces  POO  a  queen;  Din  a 
wise  man,  H^Dr?  a  wise  woman;  JH  a  male  fish,  H^H 
a  female  fish. 

Thus  DID  good  (mas.),  becomes  PQlD  good  (fem.): 
J  'rllJI  flrreat  (  mas.  )  ,  H^IIJ  great  (  fern.  )  . 

Thus  Tl^lOio  be  ruling  (mas.),  becomes  HD^lD  to  be 
ruling  (fern.):  Dit^  or  Dp  to  be  raising  (mas.),  iTJiJP 
to  be  raising  (fern.). 

It  must  be  observed,  in  respect  to  this  formation,  that 
when  the  qualificative  masculine  is  terminated  with  the 
character  H.  which  is  then  only  the  emphatic  sign,  or  by 
the  character  *  »  sign  of  manifestation,  these  two  characters 
remain  wholly  simple,  or  are  modified  by  the  sign  of  reci- 
procity D  .  in  the  following  manner:  tl&  beautiful  (mas.), 
Hfi*  or  JlpJ  (fern.);  '$?  second  (mas.),  tJ'Xtf  or  fi^ 
(fern.).  ' 

Besides,  this  sign  fi  .  image  of  all  that  is  mutual, 
replaces  in  almost  every  case  the  character  J"T»  when  it 
is  a  question  of  the  feminine  termination  of  qualificative 
or  facultative  nouns;  it  seems  even,  that  the  genius  of 
the  Hebraic  tongue  is  particularly  partial  to  it  in  the 
latter.  One  finds  H^IJ  ,  rather  than  fl^tt,  to  be  falling; 
fiCni3  ,  rather  than  niTYD  to  be  fleeing;  etc. 

It  is  useless,  in  a  Grammar  which  treats  principally 
of  the  genius  of  a  tongue,  to  expatiate  much  upon  the 
application  of  the  genders;  that  is  a  matter  which  con- 
cerns the  dictionary.  Let  it  suffice  to  know,  that,  in 
general,  the  proper  names  of  men,  of  occupations,  of  titles, 
peoples,  rivers,  mountains  and  months,  are  masculine; 
whereas  the  names  of  women,  of  countries,  of  cities,  the 
members  of  the  body,  and  all  substantives  terminating 
with  the  sign  fl  >  are  feminine. 

As  to  the  common  gender,  that  is  to  say,  that  of  the 
substantive  nouns  which  take  the  masculine  and  feminine 


134         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

alike,  it  is  impossible  to  apply  any  rule  even  approxim- 
ately; it  is  by  use  alone  that  it  can  be  shown.  These  are 
the  substantives  of  the  common  gender  which  come  to  my 
mind  at  the  moment :  |J  enclosure,  organic  sphere;  K'Pt^ 
sun;  jHN  earth;  JTiK  sign;  W  time;  ITH  spirit,  expan- 
sive breath;  t^04  soul;  [i"1N.  chain  of  mountains;  "Vt("l 

etc- 


§  IV. 
NUMBER 

There  exist  only  two  characteristic  numbers  in 
Hebrew;  these  are  the  singular  and  the  plural  j  the  third 
number,  called  dual,  is  but  a  simple  restriction  of  thought, 
a  modification  of  the  plural  which  tradition  alone  has 
been  able  to  preserve  by  aid  of  the  Chaldaic  punctuation. 
This  restricted  number,  passing  into  certain  derivative 
tongues,  has  constituted  in  them  a  characteristic  number, 
by  means  of  the  forms  which  it  has  assumed;  but  it  is 
obvious  that  the  Hebraic  tongue,  had  it  at  first  either 
alone,  or  else  distinguished  it  from  the  plural  only  by 
a  simple  inflection  of  the  voice,  too  little  evident  to  be 
expressed  by  the  sign;  for  it  should  be  carefully  observed 
that  it  is  never  the  sign  which  expresses  it,  but  the  punc- 
tuation, at  least  in  masculine  nouns :  as  to  feminine  nouns, 
which,  in  the  dual  number,  assume  the  same  characters 
which  indicate  the  masculine  plural,  one  might,  strictly 
speaking,  consider  them  as  belonging  to  common  gender. 

Masculine  nouns,  whether  substantive,  qualificative  or 
facultative,  form  their  plural  by  the  addition  of  the  syl- 
lable D* »  which,  uniting  the  signs  of  manifestation  and 
of  exterior  generation,  expresses  infinite  succession,  the 
immensity  of  things. 

Feminine  nouns  of  the  same  classes  form  their  plural 
by  the  addition  of  the  syllable  Hi .  which,  uniting  the  signs 
of  light  and  of  reciprocity,  expresses  all  that  is  mutual 
and  similar,  and  develops  the  idea  of  the  identity  of  things. 

The  two  genders  of  the  dual  number  are  formed  by 
the  addition  of  the  same  syllable  D*»  designating  the 
masculine  plural,  to  which  one  adds,  according  to  the  Chal- 
daic punctuation,  the  vague  vowel  named  kamez  or  patah, 

135 


136         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

in  this  manner:  D_>>  or  D*.  One  should  realize  now  that 
this  number  is  not  really  characteristic,  as  I  have  stated, 
since,  if  we  remove  the  Chaldaic  punctuation,  and  if  we 
read  the  tongue  of  Moses  without  points,  which  should 
always  be  done  in  order  to  go  back  to  its  hieroglyphic 
source,  this  number  disappears  entirely;  the  dual  mascu- 
line being  absorbed  in  the  plural  of  the  same  gender,  and 
the  feminine  being  only  an  extension  of  the  common  num- 
ber. The  modern  rabbis  who  have  clearly  seen  this  diffi- 
culty (considering  the  disadvantage  of  the  Chaldaic  punc- 
tuation, and  furthermore,  not  wishing  to  loose  this  third 
number  which  presented  certain  beauties,  and  had  been 
orally  transmitted  to  them),  have  adopted  the  plan  of  ex- 
pressing the  inflection  of  the  voice  which  constituted  it  in 
its  origin,  by  doubling  the  sign  of  manifestation  M »  in  this 
manner :  D?1?^  the  two  feet  DVl*  the  two  hands.  This 
number,  furthermore,  is  usually  applied  to  the  things 
which  nature  has  made  double,  or  which  the  mind  conceives 
as  double,  as  the  following  examples  will  demonstrate. 

Examples  of  the  masculine  plural. 
^P  king,  D'?^  kings;  IpP  book,  Onfijp  looks:  pHV 
just  one,  D'pHV  just  ones;  *p3  innocent,  D"p3  innocents; 
"Tp1fl  to  be  visiting,  caring  for,  DHplfl    (plural) ;    TlpS 
to  be  visited,  cared  for,  D'"fip£  (plural) ;  etc. 

Examples  of  the  feminine  plural. 
np^D  queen,  Dl^'pp   queens;  DN  mother,  J"ViDtf  moth- 
ers; np.ny  just  one,  nipny  just  ones;  rnpJD  or  rnpiD 

to  be  visiting,  caring  for,  fi1"tplB   (plural) ;  fTTlpI)  to  be 
visited,  cared  for,  JTHp*?   (plural)  ;  etc. 
Examples  of  the  dual. 

IV  breast,  DH£''  both  breasts;  TpV  thigh,  D^")»  both 
thighs;  Hfi^  Up,  D7l£B>  both  lips;  'D  water,  D.'O  the 
waters ;'ft&  heaven  (singular  obsolete) ,  D*£tP  the  heavens; 
11  hand,  DH*  both  hands;  etc. 


NUMBER  137 

It  can  be  observed  in  these  examples  that  the  final 
character  *  is  sometimes  preserved  in  the  plural  as  in 
*JM  innocent,  D"pJ  innocents;  or  in  HJ$  lion,  D""}1<  lions; 
but  it  is,  however,  more  customary  for  this  final  char- 
acter *,  to  become  lost  or  amalgamated  with  the  plural,  as 
in  '"Tint  0  Jew,  DH1JT  the  Jews. 

It  can  also  be  observed  that  feminine  nouns  which 
terminate  in  n  in  the  singular,  lose  this  character  in 
taking  the  plural,  and  that  those  which  take  the  dual  num- 
ber, change  this  same  character  to  A  as  in  nfifr  Up,  D'Jlfit? 
both  lips;  ilDin  wall,  D'JPlDn  both  walls. 

Sometimes  the  plural  number  of  the  masculine  in  D'  > 
is  changed  into  f* .  after  the  Chaldaic  manner,  and  one 
finds  quite  frequently  "IPTN  other,  |nHK  others;  |3  son, 
|*J3  sons,,  etc. 

Sometimes  also  the  feminine  plural  in  fil,  loses  its 
essential  character  and  preserves  only  the  character  D> 
preceded  thus  by  the  vowel  point  holem  as  in  m^lH  the 
symbol  of  generations  (genealogical  tree)  :rip"|¥  righteous 
acts,  etc.  This  is  also  an  abuse  born  of  the  Chaldaic  punc- 
tuation, and  proves  what  I  have  said  with  regard  to  the 
facultatives.  The  rabbis  are  so  averse  to  the  suppression 
of  this  important  sign  1  in  the  feminine  plural,  that  they 
frequently  join  to  it  the  sign  of  manifestation  '  >  to  give  it 
more  force;  writing  JllX  sign,  symbol,  character,  and 
nJTTitf  signs,  symbols,  etc. 

One  finds  in  Hebrew,  as  in  other  tongues,  nouns  which 
are  always  used  in  the  singular  and  others  which  are 
always  in  the  plural.  Among  the  former  one  observes 
proper  names,  names  of  metals,  of  liquors,  of  virtues,  of 
vices,  etc.  Among  the  latter,  the  names  of  ages,  and  of 
conditions  relative  to  men. 

One  finds  equally  masculine  or  feminine  nouns  in  the 
singular  which  take,  in  the  plural,  the  feminine  or  mascu- 


138         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

line  termination  inconsistent  with  their  gender;  as  DN 
father,,  DiDJJ  fathers;  *Vp  city,  DHJJ  cities;  etc.  One  also 
finds  the  gender  called  common  or  epicene,  which  takes 
indifferently  the  masculine  or  feminine  plural,  as  I  have 
already  remarked;  as  ^D'H  palace,  D**JOV7  or  fito'Pt 
palaces.  But  these  are  anomalies  which  the  grammar  of 
an  unspoken  tongue  can  only  indicate,  leaving  to  the  dic- 
tionary the  care  of  noting  them  in  detail. 


§  V. 
MOVEMENT 

I  call  Movement,  in  the  Hebraic  nouns,  that  accidental 
modification  which  they  undergo  by  the  articles  of  which 
I  have  spoken  in  the  second  section  of  chapter  IV. 

In  the  tongues  where  this  Movement  takes  place  by 
means  of  the  terminations  of  the  nouns  themselves,  the 
grammarians  have  treated  it  under  the  denomination  of 
case;  a  denomination  applicable  to  those  tongues,  but 
which  can  only  be  applied  to  a  tongue  so  rich  in  articles 
as  the  Hebrew,  by  an  abuse  of  terms  and  in  accordance 
with  a  scholastic  routine  wholly  ridiculous. 

I  say  that  the  denomination  of  case  was  applicable 
to  those  tongues,  the  nouns  of  which  experience  changes 
of  termination  to  express  their  respective  modifications; 
for,  as  Court  de  Gebelin  has  already  remarked,  these  cases 
are  only  articles  added  to  nouns,  and  which  have  finally 
amalgamated  with  them. l  But  the  grammarians  of  the 
past  centuries,  always  restricted  to  the  Latin  or  Greek 
forms,  saw  only  the  material  in  those  tongues,  and  never 
even  suspected  that  there  might  have  been  something  be- 
yond. The  time  has  come  to  seek  for  another  principle  in 
speech  and  to  examine  carefully  its  influence. 

As  I  have  dilated  sufficiently  upon  the  signification 
of  each  article  in  particular,  as  well  as  upon  those  of  the 
corresponding  prepositions,  I  now  pass  on  without  other 
preamble  to  the  kind  of  modification  which  they  bring  in 
the  nouns  and  which  I  call  Movement. 

Now,  movement  is  inflicted  in  Hebraic  nouns  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  the  articles.  We  can,  therefore, 
admit  seven  kinds  of  movements  in  the  tongue  of  Moses, 
including  the  designative  movement  which  is  formed  by 

l  Gramm.  univers.,  p.  379. 

139 


140 


THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


means  of  the  designative  preposition  J"!^  and  without 
including  the  enunciative  which  is  expressed  without  an 
article. 

I  shall  call  this  series  of  movements  Inflection,  and 
by  this  term  I  replace  that  of  declension  which  should  not 
be  used  here. 

Example  of  nominal  inflection. 
enunciative  ""^1   word,  a  word. 


"PI? 


the  word,  lo  the  word  ! 

t°  the  word;  of,  for  or  con- 
cerning the  word. 

from  the  word  ;  out  of  or  by 
the  word. 

^n  tne  word  ;  by  means  of  the 
word. 

*"*  tne  word  5  like  tne  word  J 
according  to  the  word. 

and  the 


determinative 
directive 

extractive 
mediative 
I  assimilative 

conjunctive 

designative  "O"!J~rtt*  tne  selfsameness  of  the  word, 

the  word  itself;  that 
which  concerns  the  word. 

The  first  remark  to  make  with  regard  to  this  nominal 
inflection  is,  that  the  articles  which  constitute  it,  being 
of  every  gender  and  every  number,  are  applied  to  the  mas- 
culine as  to  the  feminine,  to  the  singular  as  to  the  plural 
or  dual. 

The  second  is,  that  they  are  often  supplied  by  the  cor- 
responding prepositions  of  which  I  have  spoken,  and  there- 
fore, that  the  movement  through  them  acquires  greater 
force;  for  example,  if  it  is  a  question  of  direct  movement, 
the  prepositions  '*?#  >  *^/"^»  which  correspond  with 


MOVEMENT  141 

the  article  *?>  have  an  energy,  drawing  nearer,  imminent: 
it  is  the  same  with  the  prepositions  |D,  *Jp/  >JQO,  which 
correspond  with  the  extractive  article  D I  with  the  prepo- 
sitions '3'  H?,  103  >  analogous  to  the  mediative  article  D: 
the  prepositions  *D ,  fQ  >  10? »  which  correspond  with  the 
assimilative  article  31  all  of  these  augment  in  the  same 
manner,  the  force  of  the  movement  to  which  they  belong. 

The  third  remark  to  make  is,  that  the  vague  vowel 
which  I  have  indicated  by  the  Chaldaic  punctuation,  be- 
neath each  article,  is  the  one  which  is  found  the  most  com- 
monly used,  but  not  the  one  which  is  always  encountered. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  as  this  punctuation  is  only 
a  sort  of  vocal  note  applied  to  the  vulgar  pronunciation, 
nothing  is  more  arbitrary  than  its  course.  All  those  He- 
braists who  are  engrossed  in  the  task  of  determining  its 
variations  by  fixed  rules,  are  lost  in  an  inextricable  labyr- 
inth. I  beg  the  reader  who  knows  how  much  French  or 
English  deviates  from  the  written  language  by  the  pro- 
nunciation, to  consider  what  a  formidable  labour  it  would 
be,  if  it  were  necessary  to  mark  with  small  accents  the 
sound  of  each  word,  often  so  opposed  to  the  orthography. 

Without  doubt  there  are  occupations  more  useful,  par- 
ticularly for  the  extinct  tongues. 

The  vague  vowel,  I  cannot  refrain  from  repeating,  is 
of  no  consequence  in  any  way  to  the  meaning  of  the  words 
of  the  Hebraic  tongue,  since  one  does  not  wish  to  speak 
this  tongue.  It  is  to  the  sign  that  one  should  give  atten- 
tion :  it  is  its  signification  which  must  be  presented.  Con- 
sidered here  as  article,  it  is  invariable :  it  is  always  H  >  *7  / 
0  /  3 ,  D ,  or  1 ,  which  strikes  the  eye.  What  matters  it  to 
the  ear,  whether  these  characters  are  followed  or  not,  by 
a  kamez,  a  patah  or  a  zere,  that  is  to  say,  the  indistinct 
vowels  a,  o,  e?  It  is  neither  the  zere,  nor  the  patah  nor 
the  kamcz  which  makes  them  what  they  are,  but  their 
nature  as  article.  The  vague  vowel  is  there  only  for  the 
compass  of  the  voice.  Upon  seeing  it  written,  it  should 


142         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

be  pronounced  as  it  is  pronounced  in  the  modern  tongues 
without  giving  it  further  attention,  and  if  one  insists  on 
writing  Hebrew  from  memory,  which  is,  however,  quite 
useless,  one  should  learn  to  put  it  down  as  one  learns  the 
orthography,  often  very  arbitrary,  of  French  and  English, 
by  dint  of  copying  the  words  in  the  manner  in  which  they 
are  written. 

The  meaning  of  the  article  in  itself  is  already  suffi- 
ciently difficult  without  still  tormenting  oneself  as  to  how 
one  shall  place  a  fly  speck. 

Asiatic  idioms  in  general,  and  Hebrew  in  particular, 
are  far  from  affecting  the  stiffness  of  our  European 
idioms.  The  nearer  a  word  is  to  its  root,  the  richer  it  is 
in  pith,  so  to  speak,  and  the  more  it  can,  without  ceasing 
to  be  itself,  develop  various  significations.  The  more  dis- 
tant it  is,  the  less  it  becomes  fitting  to  furnish  new  ramifi- 
cations. Also  one  should  guard  against  believing  that  an 
Hebraic  word,  whatever  it  may  be,  can  be  accurately 
grasped  and  rendered  in  all  its  acceptations  by  a  modern 
word.  This  is  not  possible.  All  that  can  be  done  is  to 
interpret  the  acceptation  which  it  presents  at  the  time 
when  it  is  used.  Here,  for  example,  is  the  word  "O*T 
which  I  have  used  in  the  nominal  inflection;  I  have  ren- 
dered it  by  word;  but  in  this  circumstance  where  nothing 
has  bound  me  as  to  the  sense,  I  might  have  translated  it 
quite  as  well  by  discourse,  precept,  commandment,  order, 
sermon,  oration;  or  by  thing,  object,  thought,  meditation; 
or  by  term,  elocution,  expression;  or  by  the  consecrated 
word  verb,  in  Greek  X6yo<;.  All  these  significations  and 
many  others  that  I  could  add,  feel  the  effects  of  the  root 
D"l»  which,  formed  from  the  signs  of  natural  abundance, 
and  of  active  principle,  develops  the  general  idea  of  effu- 
sion; of  the  course  given  to  anything  whatsoever.  This 
root  being  united  by  contraction  with  the  root  *"O »  all  crea- 
tion of  being,  offers  in  the  compound  "^H'  a^  *ne  means 
of  giving  course  to  its  ideas,  of  producing  them,  of  distin- 


MOVEMENT  143 

guishing  them,  of  creating  them  exteriorly,  to  make  them 
known  to  others. 

This  diversity  of  acceptations  which  must  be  observed 
in  the  words  of  the  Mosaic  tongue,  must  also  be  observed 
in  the  different  movements  of  the  nominal  inflection. 
These  movements  are  not,  in  Hebrew,  circumscribed  in  the 
limits  that  I  have  been  obliged  to  give  them.  To  make 
them  felt  in  their  full  extent,  it  would  be  necessary  to 
enter  into  irksome  details.  I  shall  give  a  few  examples. 

Let  us  remark  first  that  the  article  fl  >  is  placed,  not 
only  at  the  head  of  words  as  determinative,  or  at  the  end 
as  emphatic,  but  that  it  becomes  also  redundant  by  resting 
at  either  place,  whereas  the  other  articles  act.  Thus,  one 
finds  *D?DCP'n  the  heavens,  np*0tf  heavens,  flO^plPn 
o  heavens!  D?t?t£Vf7  to  the  heavens,  toward  the  heavens, 
nplO^rrnt^  the  heavens  themselves,  that  which  consti- 
tutes the  heavens. 

Such  are  the  most  common  acceptations  of  this  article  : 
but  the  Hebraic  genius  by  the  extension  which  it  gives 
them,  finds  the  means  of  adding  still  a  local,  intensive, 
generative,  vocative,  interrogative  and  even  relative  force. 
Here  are  some  examples. 

Locative  Force. 


in  the  city;  toward  Palestine. 

:  10X  rnjp  rftfjfcr?    in    the    tent    of    Sarah    his 

mother. 
I  np.W    :  Witt    on  earth  ;  in  heaven. 

np"lpj  fpjjl  rglfiy  toward  the  north  and  toward 
the  south,  and  the  east  and 
the  west. 

Intensive  Force. 

rapid  torrent  :  a  profound 
obscurity. 


144         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


an  extreme  terror;  a  violent 
death. 


Generative  Force. 


selfsameness    of    the    earth  : 
that  which  constitutes  it. 
the  altars  of  brass. 
the  kingdoms  of  the  earth. 

n  ni")|pDn    the  abomination  of  the  peo- 
ples. 

Vocative  Force. 

D\*I    o  waters  !  o  mountains  ! 
OH    o  daughters  of  Jerusalem! 
'JO    come,  o  spirit,  o  thou  who 


dwellest  ! 
Interrogative  Force. 

ri^h?n    is  that  the  tunic  of  thy  son? 
J  DJTN-]n    :  30\»n    was  it  good?    did  you  see? 
is  it  the  truth?  is  it  the  time? 


is  it  I? 
Relative  Force. 

the  son  of  the  stranger  who 

was  come. 
he  who  was  born  to  him. 

n    :  N£n    he  who  is  healing;  he  who  is 
redeeming. 

The  other  articles  without  having  so  extended  a  use, 
have  nevertheless  their  various  acceptations.  I  give  here 
a  few  examples  of  each  of  the  movements  which  they 
express. 


MOVEMENT  145 

Directive  Movement. 

11DTO    the  canticle  of  David. 

^P1?    f°r  the  king:  for  the  people: 
for  the  altar. 

•  l"^1?    forever:  for  eternity:  to  sa- 

tiety. 
.*3?f'n~t?$    toward  the  heavens  :  upon  the 

earth. 
J  IfO'p1?    according  to  his  kind. 

Extractive  Movement. 


:  DID    among  the  multitude  :  among 

the  priesthood. 
by  Yahweh:  by  the  nation. 

by  means  of  their  power  : 
from  the  depths  of  his 
heart. 

with  thy.  pain  and  thine  emo- 
tion. 

as  it  was  from  the  beginning. 

beyond  the  land. 

J  pNH  HVRP    J  ^1  *P'P   from  the  days  of  evil  :  from 

the  end  of  the  earth. 

Mediative  Movement. 

by  means  of  a  rod  of  iron. 

with  our  young  men  and  with 
our  old  men. 

in  the  festivals  of  the  new 
moon. 

to  the  heavens  :  on  the  way. 


146         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Assimilative  Movement. 


:jPb3    :  D^3    like  the   people:    like  the 

priest:  like  the  servant. 

DiTp    J  Dpnri?   like  the  wise  man  :  the  same 
as  to-day. 

like  the  windows  :  about  two 

thousand. 
")JO    stranger  as  well  as  native. 


Conjunctive  Movement. 


wisdom  and  knowledge. 
D1D1  D5")"|    the  chariot  and  the  horse. 

")  *?1^   D^    the  great  nation  both  numer- 
ous and  powerful. 

Designative  Movement. 


the  sameness  of  the  heavens 
and  the  sameness  of  the 
earth. 

tne  essence  of  that  same 
thing. 

with  Noah. 

Shem  himself,  and  Ham  him- 
self, and  Japheth  himself. 

These  examples  few  in  number,  are  sufficient  to  awak- 
en the  attention;  but  understanding  can  only  be  obtained 
by  study. 


§  VI. 
CONSTRUCT     STATE 

Hebraic  nouns,  being  classed  in  the  rhetorical  sen- 
tence according  to  the  rank  which  they  should  occupy  in 
developing  the  thought  in  its  entirety,  undergo  quite  com- 
monly a  slight  alteration  in  the  final  character;  now  this 
is  what  I  designate  by  the  name  of  construct  .state. 

In  several  of  the  derivative  tongues,  such  as  Greek 
and  Latin,  this  accidental  alteration  is  seen  in  the  ter- 
mination of  the  governed  noun;  it  is  quite  the  opposite 
in  Hebrew.  The  governed  noun  remains  nearly  always  un 
changed,  whereas  the  governing  noun  experiences  quite 
commonly  the  terminative  alteration  of  which  we  are 
speaking.  I  call  the  noun  thus  modified  construct,  because 
it  determines  the  construction. 

Here  in  a  few  words  are  the  elements  of  this  modifica- 
tion. 

Masculine  or  feminine  nouns  in  the  singular,  termi- 
nated by  a  character  other  than  H,  undergo  no  other  alte- 
ration in  becoming  constructs;  when  the  Hebraic  genius 
wishes,  however,  to  make  the  construct  state  felt,  it 
connects  them  with  the  noun  which  follows  with  a  hyphen. 

the  door  of  the  tent. 
H    the  integrity  of  my  heart. 


This  hyphen  very  frequently  takes  the  place  of  the 
construct,  even  when  the  latter  itself  could  be  used. 

I  rV?b~nND    a  measure  of  meal. 
•'  r\Trt?y:   a  branch  of  the  olive  tree. 

One  recognizes,  nevertheless,  three  masculine  substan- 
tives which  form  their  construct  singular,  by  the  addition 

147 


148         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

of  the  character  '  I  these  are  3N  father,  HN  brother,  and 
DH  father-in-law;  one  finds: 

J  |  yj?  »}g   the  father  of  Canaan. 
:  iTpn    :  n£)T'  »n«    the  brother  of  Japheth;  fa- 
ther-in-law of  her. 

But  these  three  substantives  are  rarely  constructed  in 
this  manner  except  with  proper  nouns,  or  with  the  nominal 
relations  called  affixes,  of  which  I  shall  speak  in  the  chap- 
ter following. 

Feminine  nouns  terminating  in  ft.  and  masculine 
nouns  which  have  received  this  final  character  as  emphatic 
article,  change  it  generally  into  fi« 

J  HfrpO  n£T   beautiful  of  form. 
J  DH^rrr?  fi")##    the  ten  commandments. 
:  D'U  fi¥J?   the  counsel  of  the  peoples. 

Masculine  nouns  in  the  plural  lose  the  final  character 
0,  in  becoming  constructs;  feminine  nouns  add  to  their 
plural  the  character  ' »  and  lose  in  the  dual  the  character 
0>  as  do  the  masculine.  But  feminine  constructs  in  the 
plural  are  only  used  with  affixes.  Masculine  constructs, 
in  the  plural  and  in  the  dual,  like  feminine  constructs  in 
the  dual,  are,  on  the  contrary,  constantly  employed  in  the 
oratorical  phrase,  as  can  be  judged  by  the  following  ex- 
amples. 

J  Silt  nifl   the  ornaments  of  gold. 

J  DTT  *F\   :  "TODD  »O   the  waters  of  the  deluge:  the 

fish  of  the  sea. 
J  nin!"fi*!l  '*??    the  vessels  of  the  house  of 

Yahweh. 

0*  the  days  (or  luminous  pe- 
riods) of  the  years  (or 
temporal  mutations)  of  the 
lives  of  Abraham. 


CONSTRUCT  STATE  149 

It  is  easy  to  see  in  these  examples  that  all  the  plurals 
terminating  in  D»,  as  DHln/  D'E,  OVH/  D^p/  D'0'T/  DW, 
D"ll)  have  lost  their  final  character  in  the  construct 
state. 

I  refrain  from  enlarging  my  Grammar  on  this  sub- 
ject, for  I  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  again  to  the  con 
struct  state  in  speaking  of  the  affixes  which  join  them- 
selves only  to  nominal  and  verbal  constructs. 


§  VII. 
SIGNIFICATION 

The  Signification  of  nouns  results  wholly  from  the 
principles  which  I  have  laid  down.  If  these  principles  have 
been  developed  with  enough  clarity  and  simplicity  for  an 
observant  reader  to  grasp  the  ensemble,  the  signification 
of  nouns  should  be  no  longer  an  inexplicable  mystery  whose 
origin  he  can,  like  Hobbes  or  his  adherents,  attribute  only 
to  chance.  He  must  feel  that  this  signification,  so  called 
from  the  primordial  signs  where  it  is  in  germ,  begins  to 
appear  under  a  vague  form  and  is  developed  under  general 
ideas  in  the  roots  composed  of  these  signs;  that  it  is  res- 
trained or  is  fixed  by  aid  of  the  secondary  and  successive 
signs  which  apply  to  these  roots;  finally,  that  it  acquires 
its  whole  force  by  the  transformation  of  these  same  roots 
into  nouns,  and  by  the  kind  of  movement  which  the  signs 
again  impart  to  them,  appearing  for  the  third  time  under 
the  denomination  of  articles. 


150 


CHAPTER  VI. 

NOMINAL  RELATIONS. 

§  I. 

Absolute  Pronouns. 

I  have  designated  the  nominal  relations  under  the 
name  of  pronouns,  so  as  not  to  create  needlessly  new 
terms. 

I  divide  the  pronouns  of  the  Hebraic  tongue  into  two 
classes;  each  subdivided  into  two  kinds.  The  first  class 
is  that  of  the  absolute  pronouns,  or  pronouns,  properly 
so-called  ;  the  second  is  that  of  the  affixes,  which  are  deri- 
vatives, whose  use  I  shall  explain  later. 

The  pronouns,  properly  so-called,  are  relative  to  per- 
sons or  things;  those  relative  to  persons  are  called  per- 
sonal; those  relative  to  things  are  named  simply  relative. 

The  affixes  indicate  the  action  of  persons  or  things 
themselves  upon  things,  and  then  I  name  them  nominal 
affixes;  or  they  can  express  the  action  of  the  verb  upon 
persons  or  things  and  then  I  give  them  the  name  of  verbal 
affixes.  Below,  is  the  list  of  the  personal  and  relative 
pronouns. 

Personal  Pronouns. 
Singular  Plural 


(mas.     Kin  he  »  (raa«.         Dflh 

6\fem.  Mil  f)r  N'H  she        (fem.  fn/they 


151 


152         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Relative  Pronouns. 

Of  every  Gender  and  of  every  Number. 
*7X  or  rf?N  this,  that,  these,  those. 
"10f  who,  which,  whom,  whose,  that  which;  what. 
*H'  H  or  p  this,  that,  these,  those.     (Chaldaic.) 
nj/  It  or  fltft  this,  that,  these,  those. 
Nn  this,  that,  these,  those;    lo!  behold! 
fP?/  nJjPT  lo!  behold!  is  there? 
*?n  is  it  ?  (interrogation  sign). 
»0  who?   HO  what? 
nS  that  thing  there,  that  place  there.     (Egyptian.) 

I  have  a  few  remarks  to  make  concerning  this  class 
of  pronouns.  The  first  is,  that  I  present  the  table  accord- 
ing to  the  modern  usage,  which  gives  the  first  rank  to  the 
pronoun  /  or  me;  and  that  in  this,  I  differ  from  the  ideas 
of  the  rabbiSj  who,  after  a  false  etymology  given  to  the 
verb,  have  judged  that  the  rank  belonged  to  the  pronoun 
he  or  him.  It  is  not  that  I  am  unaware  of  the  mystical 
reasons  which  lead  certain  of  them  to  think  that  the  pre- 
eminence belongs  to  the  pronoun  of  the  third  person  Kin . 
he  or  him,  as  forming  the  basis  of  the  Sacred  Name  given 
to  the  Divinity.  What  I  have  said  in  my  notes  explaining 
the  Hebraic  names  D'rfpjjJ  and  niTP  proves  it  adequately ; 
but  these  reasons,  very  strong  as  they  appear  to  them, 
have  not  determined  me  in  the  least  to  take  away  from  the 
personal  pronoun  'JN  or  'pUN  /  or  me,  a  rank  which  be- 
longs to  its  nature.  It  is  sufficient,  in  order  to  feel  this 
rank,  to  put  it  into  the  mouth  of  the  Divinity  Itself,  as 
Moses  has  frequently  done  •  ^D^tf  »"T|JT  *P1^  >  /  cw*  YAH- 
WEH  (the  Being-Eternal},  JELOHIM  (HE-the-Gods)  thine. 
It  is  also  sufficient  to  remember  that  one  finds  niTBJ 
written  in  the  first  person,  and  that  therefore,  this  name 
has  a  greater  force  than  YAHWEH. 


ABSOLUTE  PRONOUNS  153 

The  second  remark  that  I  have  to  make  is,  that  all 
these  pronouns,  personal  as  well  as  relative  when  they  are 
used  in  an  absolute  manner,  always  involve  the  idea  of  the 
verb  to  be,  in  its  three  tenses,  following  the  meaning  of 
the  phrase,  and  without  the  need  of  expressing  it,  as  in 
the  greater  part  of  the  modern  idioms.  Thus  'JJJ>  HfiN> 
Kin,  etc.,  signifies  literally:  I-being,  or  I  am,  I  was,  I 
shall  be:  thou-bcing,  or  thou  art,  thou  wast,  thou  shalt 
be:  he-being,  or  he  is,  he  was,  he  shall  be;  etc.  It  is  the 
same  with  all  the  others  indiscriminately. 

The  third  remark  finally,  concerns  the  etymology  of 
these  pronouns;  an  etymology  worthy  of  great  attention, 
as  it  is  derived  from  my  principles  and  confirms  them. 

Let  us  content  ourselves  with  examining  the  first  three 
persons  ^ '  Hftt*  and  N1H .  so  as  not  to  increase  the  ex- 
amples too  much,  besides  leaving  something  for  the  reader 
to  do,  who  is  eager  to  learn. 

Now,  what  is  the  root  of  the  first  of  these  pronouns? 
It  is  |N,  where  the  united  signs  of  power  and  of  produced 
being,  indicate  sufficiently  a  sphere  of  activity,  an  indivi- 
dual existence,  acting  from  the  centre  to  the  circumference. 
This  root,  modified  by  the  sign  of  potential  manifestation 
',  which  we  shall  presently  see  become  the  affix  of  posses- 
sion, designates  the  /,  active,  manifested  and  possessed. 

The  root  of  the  second  pronoun  HJ1N,  is  not  less  ex- 
pressive. One  sees  here  as  in  the  first,  the  sign  of  power 
K,  but  which,  united  now  to  that  of  the  reciprocity  of 
things  n,  characterizes  a  mutual  power,  a  coexistent  being. 
One  associates  with  this  idea,  that  of  veneration,  in 
joining  to  the  root  flN.  the  emphatic  and  determinative 
article  fl. 

But  neither  the  pronoun  of  the  first  person,  nor  that 
of  the  second,  is  equal  in  energy  to  that  of  the  third  K1H 
particularly  when  it  is  used  in  an  absolute  manner:  I 
must  acknowledge  it,  notwithstanding  what  I  have  said 


154         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

concerning  the  grammatical  rank  that  ought  to  be  accorded 
the  pronoun  *JJ^ .  This  energy  is  such  that  uttered  in  an 
universal  sense,  it  has  become  throughout  the  Orient,  one 
of  the  sacred  names  of  the  Divinity.  The  Arabs  and  all 
the  peoples  who  profess  Islamism,  pronounce  it  even  in 
this  day,  with  the  greatest  respect.  One  can  still  remem- 
ber the  righteous  indignation  of  the  Turkish  ambassador, 
when  this  sacred  name  was  profaned  in  our  theatre  in  the 
farce  of  le  Bourgeois-Gentilhomme,  and  travestied  in  the 
ridiculous  syllable  hou!  hou! 

Here  is  its  composition.  The  sign  of  power  tf>  which 
as  we  have  seen,  appears  in  the  first  two  pronouns,  '4£* 
and  nritf.  forms  also  the  basis  of  this  one.  As  long  as  this 
sign  is  governed  only  by  the  determinative  article  Hi  it  is 
limited  to  presenting  the  idea  of  a  determined  being,  as 
is  proved  by  the  relative  KH I  even  though  the  convertible 
sign  1»  adds  to  it  a  verbal  action,  it  is  still  only  the 
pronoun  of  the  third  person ;  a  person,  considered  as  acting 
beyond  us,  without  reciprocity,  and  that  we  designate  by 
a  root  which  depicts  splendour  and  elevation,  he  or  him: 
but  when  the  character  H»  instead  of  being  taken  as  a 
simple  article,  is  considered  in  its  state  of  the  sign  of 
universal  life,  then  this  same  pronoun  Klfli  leaving  its 
determination,  becomes  the  image  of  the  Ail-Powerful :  that 
which  can  be  attributed  only  to  GOD ! 


§IL 


Affixes. 

Those  of  the  affixes  which  I  have  called  nominal,  are 
joined  without  intermediary  to  the  construct  noun,  to  ex- 
press dependence  and  possession  in  the  three  pronominal 
persons;  for  the  Hebraic  tongue  knows  not  the  use  of 
the  pronouns  called  by  our  grammarians,  possessive. 

Verbal  affixes  are  those  which  are  joined  without  in- 
termediaries to  verbs,  whatever  their  modifications  may 
be,  and  express  the  actual  action  either  upon  persons  or 
upon  things:  for  neither  do  the  Hebrews  know  the  pro- 
nouns that  our  grammarians  call  conjunctive. 

Without  further  delay,  I  now  give  a  list  of  the  nominal 
and  verbal  affixes. 

Nominal. 


Singular 

»  or  13    my,  mine 


m.     ?|  or  I"O  "j 

>     thy, 
f.       T|  or     Oj 


V    thv.  thine 
m.  1,  1,  J|H    his,  his 


f.   H  or  HJ  her,  hers 
Plural 


(  m.     p.  Di> 

f.  no 


our,  ours 


your,  yours 

or  1O 


their,  theirs 


155 


156 


THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


Verbal. 
Singular 

m-  • 

i)  or  \     of  me 

ttor?n 
2<  ^  V     ofthee 

m.     in/  1/  or  1    of  him 
f.       nj    or    fl     of  her 
Plural 


m. 

1  <       >    13    of  us 

V- ) 

(m-   D?) 

2  <  '  V   of  you 
lf-        R) 

.  i"O/  D  or  ID 


or  f 


of  them 


It  can  be  seen,  in  comparing  these  two  lists,  that  the 
nominal  and  verbal  affixes  in  the  Hebraic  tongue  differ  not 
in  the  least  as  to  form,  but  only  as  to  sense.  However  I 
must  mention  that  one  finds  the  simplest  of  these  pronouns 
such  as  '/  ?|»  1f  etc.,  used  quite  generally  as  nominal  af- 
fixes, and  the  most  composite  such  as  ^  /  i*"D  /  m  •  as  verbal 
affixes,  but  it  is  not  an  invariable  rule. 


When  the  personal  pronouns  ^  I,  nriX  thou, 
he,  etc.,  are  subject  to  the  inflection  of  the  articles,  it  is 
the  nominal  affixes  which  are  used  in  determining  the  dif- 
ferent movements  as  is  shown  in  the  following  example  : 


AFFIXES 

Example  of  the  Pronominal  Inflection. 
Singular 

Enunciative  ^  I 

Determinative 

Directive 

Extractive 

Mcdiative 

Assimilative 

Conjunctive 

Designative 


157 


it  is  I  ! 
'*?  to  me 
'30  from  me 
J  ^  in  me,  with  me 
J  *3  as  I 
^  and  I 
»JfYiN  I  TliN  myself,  me 


Plural 
UPU  we 

us!  it  is  us! 
l      to  us 
t  WO  from  us 

U3  in  us,  with  us 
JU?  as  we 
and  we 
ourselves 


I  have  chosenj  in  giving  this  example,  the  pronoun  of 
the  first  person,  which  will  suffice  to  give  an  idea  of  all 
the  others.  It  will  be  noticed  that  I  have  added  to  the 
preposition  HK  of  the  designative  movement,  the  sign  1. 
because  the  Hebraic  genius  affects  it  in  this  case  and  in 
some  others,  as  giving  more  importance  to  this  movement. 


158         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  designative  relations  which  I  have  made  known 
under  the  name  of  prepositions,  are  joined  to  the  nominal 
affixes  in  the  same  manner  as  the  articles.  Here  are  some 
examples  of  this  liaison. 

?tf    unto    me,    unto    thee,    unto 
them. 

beside  him;  with  him. 
:  itltt    for  him;  for  them. 

upon  me  ;  under  me  ;  as  far  as 

me. 
with  me;  with  thee;  with  him. 

Relative  pronouns  are  inflected  with  articles  and  with 
prepositions  in  the  same  manner  as  nouns.  I  shall  not  stop 
to  give  any  particular  examples  of  this  inflection  which 
has  nothing  very  remarkable.  I  prefer  to  illustrate  it  by 
the  following  phrases  : 

J  nllhln  rf?N    these  are  the  symbols  of  the 
generations. 

that  which  he  had  done. 

I  am  YAHWEH,  HE-THE-GODS 
thine,  who  .... 

"Tt^'K.  l/31    and  all  that  which  .  .  . 

why  hast  thou  done  that? 
who  art  thou?  who  are  those? 


*  'Tip  HO    I  5\iytf~*D    what  is  thy  name?  what  is 
this  voice? 

H,p    what  is  the  fashion  of  this 
man? 

HO    how  good  it  is!  how  pleasing! 
np    what  has  happened  to  him? 

"H3    the   daughter   of   whom   art 
thou? 


AFFIXES  159 

'0s?    to  whom  belongs  the  young 
woman  there? 

nD^    why  mine?  upon  what? 
upon  what  futility? 

:U*?3  I^jn  J^n    here  am  I:  behold  us:  both: 
them  all. 

J  n:rO  J  .ID    like  this  one;  like  that  one. 

HJ9    like  this  and  like  that. 
:  n.D    in  this  one:  in  that  one. 
The  relative    *Ki?&$    whose  use  I  have  just  shown  in 
several  examples,  has  this  peculiarity,  that  it  furnishes 
a  sort  of  pronominal  article  which  is  quite  commonly  em- 
ployed. 

This  article,  the  only  one  of  its  kind,  is  reduced  to 
the  character  W  >  and  comprises  in  this  state  all  the  pro- 
perties of  the  sign  which  it  represents.  Placed  at  the  head 
of  nouns  or  verbs,  it  implies  all  the  force  of  relative  move- 
ment. Sometimes  in  uniting  itself  to  the  directive  article 
*?.  it  forms  the  pronominal  preposition  W»  which  then 
participates  in  the  two  ideas  of  relation  and  direction 
contained  in  the  two  signs  of  which  it  is  composed. 

It  is  most  important  in  studying  Hebrew,  to  have  the 
foregoing  articles  ever  present  in  the  mind,  as  well  as  those 
which  I  give  below;  for  the  Hebraists,  unceasingly  con- 
fusing them  with  the  nouns  that  they  inflect,  have  sin- 
gularly corrupted  the  meaning  of  several  passages.  Here 
are  a  few  examples  which  can  facilitate  understanding  the 
prenominal  articles  in  question. 

"117   as  much  as  I  was  opposed,  so 
much  was  I  strengthened. 

J  '*?$  l-tf?  fVn^    who  was  for  us?  who,  for  me? 

:  Hint?   :  nrm'    for  whom  thou :  for  whom  he : 
for  whom  YAHWBH. 


160         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

J  fi;D#   whose    fellow-creature?  in 

what  also? 
what  therefore?    What  is  the 

why  (the  cause), 
that  which  she  loved. . .  That 

which  descends. . . 
that  which  I  passed  over. . . 

the  border  of  the  tunic  which 

was  Saul's, 
of  that  which  is  ours. 

in  that  which  is  the  why  (the 
cause)  of  evil. 


S  III. 

Use  of  the  Affixes. 

Let  us  examine  now,  the  use  of  nominal  affixes  with 
nouns :  later  on  we  shall  examine  that  of  verbal  affixes  with 
verbs.  These  affixes  are  placed,  as  I  have  already  stated, 
without  intermediary  after  the  nouns,  to  express  depend- 
ence or  possession  in  the  three  pronominal  persons.  It  is 
essential  to  recall  here  what  I  said  in  speaking  of  the  con- 
struct state;  for  it  is  the  affix  which  makes  a  construct 
of  every  noun. 

Thus,  among  the  masculine  nouns  which  do  not  ter- 
minate with  n.  three  only  take  the  character  *.  in  the 
construct  singular,  that  is:  ON  father,  TTN  brother,  and 
*OH  father-in-law,  the  others  remain  inflexible. 

Thus,  among  the  masculine  and  feminine  nouns,  all 
those  which  terminate  in  H.  or  which  have  received  this 
character  as  an  emphatic  article,  change  this  character  in 
the  singular,  to  fl. 

Thus,  all  of  the  masculine  nouns  terminating  in  the 
plural  with  D».  lose  the  character  D  in  becoming  con- 
structs; it  is  the  same  with  the  dual  for  both  genders. 

Thus,  generally,  but  in  a  manner  less  irresistible,  the 
feminine  whose  plural  is  formed  with  Hi.  adds  *  to  this 
final  syllable  in  taking  the  nominal  affix. 

This  understood,  I  pass  now  to  the  examples. 

161 


the  word 


162         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
enunciative 

construct 
(mas. 

{/em. 
mas. 


Mas.  Sing. 


my  word 
thy  word 
word 


his    ) 


fern. 
(  mas. 

3< 
(fern. 

(mas.  ^ 

(fern.  $ 
(  mas. 

(fern, 
mas. 

fern. 


(enunciative  DHTJ} 

Mas.  Plu.   <  >  the  words 

I  construct        t%^H ) 


her  j 
our  word 
V   your  word 
>    their  word 


( 


mas. 


mas. 


my  words 


thv  words 


inrn  MS  ) 

^  >   words 

(  /em.      •7^?>r!.  her) 


USE  OF  AFFIXES 


163 


(  mas.  \ 

?fcnyi 

(  /em.  ) 


our  words 


mas. 


( 

< 

{/6m.    pirn) 


your  words 


<mas.  017131) 
>    their  words 


Fern.  Sing. 


enunciative 


construct 


^mas.  ^ 

1  <  >    * 

(fern.  ) 


mas. 


mas. 
fern. 

mas. 

fern, 
mas. 

fern, 
mas. 


JV  ) 
my  distress 
thy  distress 


the  distress 


his 


her 


distress 


fem.      frny 


our  distress 
your  distress 
their  distress 


164         THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  KESTORED 


Fem.  Plu. 


en  initiative 
construct 
l  mas. 


I /em.) 

(  mas 
gJ 

I /em. 
f  was. 

«{ 


mas. 


1  <!  > 

(  fern.  ) 
( 


mas. 


(/em. 


3  .< 


the  distresses 


iv  distresses 

thy  distresses 

his, 

distresses 

our  distresses 

>  your  distresses 

>  their  distresses 


Denunciative  DO'lf  ") 

Mas.  or  fem.  dual<  >  the  eyes 

(  construct          -  *  ) 


eyes 


USE  OF  AFFIXES 


165 


em. 
mas. 

fern. 
was. 

fern. 


our  eyes 


their  eyes 


Nouns,  whether  masculine  or  feminine,  which  take 
the  common  or  dual  number,  follow  in  the  singular,  one  of 
the  preceding  examples  according  to  their  gender. 

The  anomalies  relative  to  the  vague  vowel  marked  by 
the  Chaldaic  punctuation  are  still  considerable:  but  they 
have  no  effect,  and  should  not  delay  us.  The  only  im- 
portant remark  to  make  is,  that  often  the  affix  of  the  third 
person  masculine  of  the  singular,  is  found  to  be  1H  or  10 
in  place  of  1  and  again  in  the  plural  10  in  place  of  0. 
or  of  DH :  so  that  one  might  find  liDyi  or  lO^D"]  his  word, 
and  lOH?"7!  his  icords  or  their  words;  or  IflJTntf  or  lOrny 
his  distress,  and  lOT^V  his  distresses  or  their  distresses. 
Besides  it  seems  that  the  affix  1H »  may  be  applied  to  the 
emphatic  style.,  and  the  affix  10,  to  poetry. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  VERB 

§  I. 
Absolute  Verb  and  Particular  Verbs. 

If  in  the  course  of  this  Grammar  I  have  been  com- 
pelled, in  order  to  be  understood,  to  speak  often  of  the 
plural  verbs,  it  must  not  be  thought  for  this  reason,  that 
I  have  forgotten  my  fundamental  principle,  namely,  that 
there  exists  but  one  sole  Verb :  a  principle  which  I  believe 
fixed.  The  plural  verbs,  of  which  I  have  spoken,  should 
only  be  understood  as  nouns  verbalised  as  it  were,  by  the 
unique  Verb  Hlf!  to  be-being,  in  which  it  develops  its  in- 
fluence with  more  or  less  force  and  intensity.  Let  us  for- 
get therefore,  the  false  ideas  which  we  have  kept  through 
habit,  of  a  mass  of  verbs  existing  by  themselves,  and  re- 
turn to  our  principle. 

There  is  but  one  Verb. 

The  words  to  which  one  has  ordinarily  given  the 
name  of  verbs,  are  only  substantives  animated  by  this 
single  verb,  and  determined  toward  the  end  peculiar  to 
them  :  for  now  we  can  see  that  the  verb,  in  communicating 
to  nouns  the  verbal  life  which  they  possess,  changes  in 
no  respect  their  inner  nature,  but  only  makes  them  living 
with  the  life  whose  principles  they  held  concealed  within 
themselves.  Thus  the  flame,  communicated  to  all  com- 
bustible substance,  burns  not  only  as  flame  but  as  enflam- 
ed  substance,,  good  or  evil,  according  to  its  intrinsic 
quality. 

The  unique  Verb  of  which  I  speak  is  formed  in  Heb- 
rew, in  a  manner  meriting  the  attention  of  the  reader.  Its 

167 


168         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

principle  is  light,  represented  by  the  intellectual  sign  1; 
its  substance  is  life  universal  and  absolute,  represented 
by  the  root  fin.  This  root,  as  I  have  before  stated,  never 
leaves  the  noun:  for  when  it  is  a  question  of  designating 
life  proper,  or,  to  express  it  better,  existence, — which  men 
ought  never  to  confuse  with  life,  the  Hebraic  tongue  em- 
ploys the  root  'H,  in  which  the  character  H,  carries  the 
idea  of  some  sort  of  effort  causing  equilibrium  between  two 
opposed  powers.  It  is  by  means  of  intellectual  light, 
characterized  by  the  sign  1,  that  this  unique  Verb  dis- 
penses its  verbal  force  to  nouns,  and  transforms  them  into 
particular  verbs. 

The  verb  in  itself  is  immutable.  It  knows  neither 
number  nor  gender;  it  has  no  kind  of  inflection.  It  is 
foreign  to  forms,  to  movement  and  to  time,  as  long  as  it 
does  not  leave  its  absolute  essence  and  as  long  as  the 
thought  conceives  it  independent  of  all  substance.  fllPF 
to  be-being,  belongs  to  the  masculine  as  well  as  to  the 
feminine,  to  the  singular  as  to  the  plural,  to  active  move- 
ment as  to  passive  movement;  it  exercises  the  same  in- 
fluence upon  the  past  as  upon  the  future;  it  fulfills  the 
present;  it  is  the  image  of  a  duration  without  beginning 
and  without  end:  HlH  to  he-being  fulfills  all,  compre- 
hends all,  animates  all. 

But  in  this  state  of  absolute  immutability  and  of 
universality,  it  is  incomprehensible  for  man.  When  it 
acts  independently  of  substance  man  cannot  grasp  it.  It 
is  only  because  of  the  substance  which  it  assumes,  that  it 
is  sentient.  In  this  new  state  it  loses  its  immutability. 
The  substance  which  it  assumes  transmits  to  it  nearly  all 
its  forms;  but  these  same  forms  that  it  influences,  acquire 
particular  modifications  through  which  an  experienced 
eye  can  still  distinguish  its  inflexible  unity. 

These  details  may  appear  extraordinary  to  the  gram- 
marians but  little  accustomed  to  find  these  sorts  of  specu- 
lations in  their  works;  but  I  have  forewarned  them  that 
it  is  upon  the  Hebraic  grammar  that  I  am  writing  and  not 


ABSOLUTE  VERB  AND  PARTICULAR  VERBS  169 

upon  any  from  their  domain.  If  they  consider  my  method 
applicable,  as  I  think  it  is,  they  may  adopt  it;  if  they  do 
not,  nothing  hinders  them  from  following  their  own 
routine. 

Let  us  continue.  As  the  verb  Hln  becomes  manifest 
only  because  of  the  substance  which  it  has  assumed,  it 
participates  in  its  forms.  Therefore,  every  time  that  it 
appears  in  speech,  it  is  with  the  attributes  of  a  particular 
verb,  and  subject  to  the  same  modifications.  Now,  these 
modifications  in  particular  verbs,  or  rather  in  facultative 
nouns  verbalized,  are  four  in  number,  namely,  Form, 
Movement,  Time  and  Person. 

I  shall  explain  later  what  these  modifications  are  and 
in  what  manner  they  act  upon  the  verbs ;  it  is  essential  to 
examine  first  of  all,  how  these  verbs  issue  from  the  primi- 
tive roots  or  derivative  nouns,  subject  to  the  unique  Verb 
which  animates  them. 

If  we  consider  the  unique  Verb  nlfl,  to  be-being,  as 
a  particular  verb,  we  shall  see  clearly  that  what  consti- 
tutes it  as  such,  is  the  intellectual  sign  1,  in  which  the 
verbal  esprit  appears  wholly  to  reside.  The  root  fin,  by 
itself,  is  only  a  vague  exclamation,  a  sort  of  expiration, 
which,  when  it  signifies  something,  as  in  the  Chinese 
tongue,  for  example,  is  limited  to  depicting  the  breath,  its 
exhalation,  its  warmth,  and  sometimes  the  life  that  this 
warmth  infers;  but  then  the  vocal  sound  o  is  soon  mani- 
fest, as  can  be  seen  in  ho,  houo,  hoe,  Chinese  roots,  which 
express  all  ideas  of  warmth,  of  fire,  of  life,  of  action  and 
of  being. 

The  sign  1,  being  constituted,  according  to  the  genius 
of  the  Hebraic  tongue,  symbol  of  the  universal  verb,  it  is 
evident  that  in  transferring  it  into  a  root  or  into  any  com- 
pound whatsoever  of  this  tongue,  this  root  or  this  com- 
pound will  partake  instantly  of  the  verbal  nature :  for  this 
invariably  happens. 

We  have  seen  in  treating  particularly  of  the  sign, 
that  the  one  in  question  is  presented  under  two  distinct 


170         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

modifications,  first,  as  the  universal  convertible  sign  1 ,  and 
second,  as  the  luminous  sign  1:  these  two  modifications 
are  employed  equally  in  the  formation  of  verbs.  I  have 
already  spoken  of  this  in  dealing  with  the  facultatives 
in  the  Second  section  of  the  Fifth  chapter.  Here  it  is  on- 
ly a  matter  of  verbs. 

The  facultative  by  which  the  Hebraic  genius  brings 
out  the  verbal  action,  is  the  finished  facultative.  It  is  in 
this  manner. 

This  facultative  is  formed  from  roots  by  the  insertion 
of  the  sign  %  between  the  two  characters  which  compose 
it,  as  DW  to  be  placed,  *71JI  to  be  exhausted;  and  from 
compound  nouns  by  the  insertion  of  this  same  sign  be- 
tween the  last  two  characters  of  these  nouns,  as  JU*!  to 
be  moved,  ^^9  t°  ^e  ru^e<^- 

Now  if  we  take  the  finished  facultative  coming  from 
the  root,  it  will  be  sufficient,  by  a  simple  abstraction  of 
thought,  to  make  a  verb  of  it,  in  that  sort  of  original  state 
which  the  grammarians  call  infinitive,  though  I  cannot 
very  well  see  why,  and  which  I  call,  nominal,  because  it  is 
governed  by  the  articles  and  is  subject  to  the  nominal  in- 
flection. And  as  to  the  finished  facultative  coming  from 
the  compounds,  we  make  a  nominal  verb  of  it  by  enfight/- 
ening  the  sign  1  that  is  to  say,  replacing  it  with  the  sign  1 . 
as  the  following  example  illustrates : 

root  Dp  I  every  idea  of  substance  and  of 

material  establishment 
finished  facultative    Dip!  to  be  established 
nominal  verb  Dip!  the  action  of  establishing 

compound  t-TU  physical  or  moral  movement; 

an  emotion 

finished  facultative    Wl  *  to  be  moved 
nominal  verb  fi^l!  the  action  of  moving 


ABSOLUTE  VEKB  AND  PARTICULAR  VERBS  171 

It  is  well  to  observe  that  sometimes  1  is  enlightened 
in  order  to  form  the  verb  from  the  root,  as  in  CIO  to 
waver,  and  in  some  others.  As  to  the  nominal  verbs  coming 
from  compounds,  the  rule  is  without  exception  in  this  re- 
spect. If  the  Chaldaic  punctuation  replaces  this  sign  by 
the  points  holcm  or  kamez  these  points  have  then  the  same 
value  and  that  suffices.  This  abuse  due  to  the  indolence 
of  the  copyists  was  inevitable. 


§  II. 

Three  kinds  of  Particular  Verbs. 

There  is  no  need  I  think  of  calling  attention  to  the 
effect  of  the  convertible  sign,  which,  insinuating  itself  into 
the  heart  of  the  primitive  roots,  makes  them  pass  from  the 
state  of  noun  to  that  of  verb,  and  which  being  enlightened 
or  extinguished  by  turn,  and  changing  its  position  in  the 
compound  substantives,  produces  the  sentiment  of  an  ac- 
tion, continued  or  finished,  and  as  it  were,  fixes  the  verbal 
life  by  the  successive  formation  of  the  two  facultatives  and 
the  nominal  verb.  I  believe  that  there  is  none  of  my  readers 
who,  having  reached  this  point  of  my  Grammar,  and  being 
impressed  by  this  admirable  development  does  not  disdain- 
fully reject  any  system  tending  to  make  of  speech  a  mech- 
anical art  or  an  arbitrary  institution. 

Indeed!  if  speech  were  a  mechanical  art  or  an  arbit- 
rary institution  as  has  been  advanced  by  Hobbes,  and  be- 
fore him  by  Gorgias  and  the  sophists  of  his  school,  could 
it,  I  ask,  have  these  profound  roots  which,  being  derived 
from  a  small  quantity  of  signs  and  being  blended  not  only 
with  the  very  elements  of  nature,  but  also  producing  those 
immense  ramifications  which,  coloured  with  all  the  fires 
of  genius,  take  possession  of  the  domain  of  thought  and 
seem  to  reach  to  the  limits  of  infinity?  Does  one  see  any- 
thing similar  in  games  of  chance?  Do  human  institu- 
tions, however  perfect  they  may  be,  ever  have  this  prog- 
ressive course  of  aggrandizement  and  force?  Where  is 
the  mechanical  work  from  the  hand  of  man,  that  can  com- 
pare with  this  lofty  tree  whose  trunk,  now  laden  with 
branches,  slept  not  long  since  buried  in  an  imperceptible 
germ?  Does  not  one  perceive  that  this  mighty  tree,  which 
at  first,  weak  blade  of  grass,  pierced  with  difficulty  the 

172 


THREE  KINDS  OF  PARTICULAR  VERBS     173 

ground  which  concealed  its  principles,  can  in  nowise  be 
considered  as  the  production  of  a  blind  and  capricious 
force,  but  on  the  contrary,  as  that  of  wisdom  enlightened 
and  steadfast  in  its  designs?  Now  speech  is  like  this 
majestic  tree;  it  has  its  germ,  it  spreads  its  roots  gradual- 
ly in  a  fertile  nature  whose  elements  are  unknown,  it 
breaks  its  bonds  and  rises  upward  escaping  from  terres- 
trial darkness  and  bursts  forth  into  new  regions  where, 
breathing  a  purer  element,  watered  by  a  divine  light,  it 
spreads  its  branches  and  covers  them  with  flowers  and 
fruit. 

But  perhaps  the  objection  will  be  made  that  this  com- 
parison which  could  not  be  questioned  for  Hebrew,  whose 
successive  developments  I  have  amply  demonstrated,  is 
limited  to  this  tongue,  and  that  it  would  be  in  vain  for  me 
to  attempt  the  same  labour  for  another.  I  reply,  that  this 
objection,  to  have  any  force  must  be  as  affirmative  as  is 
my  proof,  instead  of  being  negative;  that  is  to  say,  that 
instead  of  saying  to  me  that  I  have  not  done  it,  it  is  still 
to  be  done;  he  must  demonstrate  to  me,  for  example,  that 
French,  Latin  or  Greek  are  so  constituted  that  they  can 
not  be  brought  back  to  their  principles,  or  what  amounts 
to  the  same  thing,  to  the  primordial  signs  upon  which  the 
mass  of  words  which  compose  them  rest;  a  matter  which 
I  deny  absolutely.  The  difficulty  of  the  analysis  of  these 
idioms,  I  am  convinced,  is  due  to  their  complexity  and 
remoteness  from  their  origin;  however,  the  analysis  is 
by  no  means  impossible.  That  of  Hebrew,  which  now  ap- 
pears easy  owing  to  the  method  I  have  followed,  was  none 
the  less  before  this  test,  the  stumbling-block  of  all  ety- 
mologists. This  tongue  is.  very  simple ;  its  material  of- 
fers advantageous  results;  but  what  would  it  be  if  the 
reasons  which  have  led  me  to  chose  Hebrew  had  also  in- 
clined me  toward  Chinese!  what  a  mine  to  exploit!  what 
food  for  thought! 

I  return  to  the  formation  of  the  Hebraic  verbs.  I 
have  shown  in  the  preceding  section  that  it  was  by  the 
intermediarv  of  the  facultatives  that  the  convertible 


174         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

sign  V  raised  the  noun  to  the  dignity  of  the  verb.  It  is 
essential  that  we  examine  what  the  idiomatic  genius  adds 
to  this  creation. 

This  genius  affects  particularly  the  words  composed 
of  three  consonant  characters ;  that  is  to  say,  words  which 
come  from  a  primitive  root  governed  by  a  sign,  or  from 
two  roots  contracted  and  forming  two  syllables.  It  is  this 
which  has  caused  the  superficial  etymologists  and  those 
who  receive  things  without  examination,  to  believe  that 
the  tongue  of  the  Hebrews  was  essentially  dissyllabic  and 
that  its  roots  could  consist  only  of  three  characters.  Ridi- 
culous error,  which  veiling  the  origin  of  the  words,  and 
confounding  the  auxiliary  sign  and  even  the  article,  with 
the  root  itself,  has  finally  corrupted  the  primitive  mean- 
ing and  brought  forth  in  Hebrew,  a  sort  of  jargon,  wholly 
different  from  the  Hebrew  itself. 

Primitive  roots  are,  in  all  known  tongues,  mono- 
syllabic. I  cannot  repeat  this  truth  too  strongly.  The 
idiomatic  genius  can  indeed,  as  in  Hebrew,  add  to  this 
syllable,  either  to  modify  its  meaning  or  to  reinforce  its 
expression;  but  it  can  never  denature  it.  When  by  the 
aid  of  the  convertible  sign  1,  the  nominal  verb  is  formed, 
as  I  have  said,  it  is  formed  either  of  the  root,  as  can  be 
seen  in  D1^  to  constitute,  to  put  up,  to  decree;  or  of  the 
compound  substantive  t|1^0  to  rule :  but  one  feels  the  pri- 
mitive root  always,  even  in  the  nominal  ^["to,  when  he 
is  intellectually  capable  of  feeling  it,  or  when  he  is  not 
fettered  by  grammatical  prejudices.  If  the  reader  is 
curious  to  know  what  this  root  is,  I  will  tell  him  that  it  is 
~|N,  and  that  the  expansive  sign  *?,  governs  jointly  with 
that  of  exterior  and  local  action,  0  .  Now  ^7,  de- 
velops all  idea  of  legation,  of  function  to  which  one  is 
linked :  of  vicariate,  of  mission,  etc.,  thus  the  word  T^P 
a  king,  the  origin  of  which  is  Ethiopic,  signifies  properly, 
a  delegate,  an  envoy  absolute;  a  minister  charged  with 
representing  the  divinity  on  earth.  This  word  has  had  in 


THREE  KINDS  OF  PARTICULAR  VERBS     175 

its  origin,  the  same  meaning  as  ^70,  of  which  we  have 
adopted  the  Greek  translation  ayyeXo.;,  an  angel.  The 
primitive  root  ay,  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  Greek 
word  <2yYe^°s»  is  precisely  the  same  as  the  Hebraic  root 
*]N ,  and  like  it  develops  ideas  of  attachment  and  of  lega- 
tion. This  root  belongs  to  the  tongue  of  the  Celts  as  well 
as  to  that  of  the  Ethiopians  and  the  Hebrews.  It  has  be- 
come, through  nasalization,  our  idiomatic  root  ang,  from 
which  the  Latins  and  all  modern  peoples  generally,  have 
received  derivatives. 

Taking  up  again  the  thread  of  my  ideas,  which  this 
etymological  digression  has  for  a  moment  suspended,  I  re- 
peat, that  the  Hebraic  genius  which  is  singularly  partial 
to  words  of  two  syllables,  rarely  allows  the  verb  to  be 
formed  of  the  root  without  adding  a  character  which 
modifies  the  meaning  or  reinforces  the  expression.  Now 
it  is  in  the  following  manner  that  the  adjunction  is  made 
and  the  characters  especially  consecrated  to  this  use. 

This  adjunction  is  initial  or  terminative;  that  is  to 
say,  that  the  character  added  is  placed  at  the  beginning 
or  the  end  of  the  word.  When  the  adjunction  is  initial, 
the  character  added  at  the  head  of  the  root  is  *  or  J;  when 
it  is  terminative  it  is  simply  the  final  character  which  is 
doubled. 

Let  us  take  for  example  the  verb  D1JT  that  I  have  al- 
ready cited.  This  verb  will  become,  by  means  of  the  initial 
adjunction  DIC" ,  or  Dlfe^l,  and  by  means  of  the  termi- 
native adjunction,  DpIJ^:  but  then,  not  only  will  the 
meaning  vary  considerably  and  receive  acceptations  very 
different  from  the  primitive  meaning,  but  the  conjugation 
also  will  appear  irregular,  on  account  of  the  characters 
having  been  added  after  the  formation  of  the  verb,  and 
the  root  will  not  always  be  in  evidence.  The  result  of  this 
confusion  of  ideas  is  that  the  Hebraists,  devoid  of  all  ety- 
mological science,  take  roots  sometimes  for  radical  verbs, 
relative  to  the  new  meaning  which  they  offer,  and  some- 


176         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

times  for  irregular  verbs,  relative  to  the  anomalies  that 
they  experience  in  their  modifications. 

But  the  truth  is,  that  these  verbs  are  neither  radical 
verbs  nor  irregular  verbs:  these  are  verbs  of  a  kind,  dis- 
tinct and  peculiar  to  the  Hebraic  tongue;  verbs  of  which 
it  is  necessary  to  understand  the  origin  and  development, 
so  as  to  distinguish  them  in  speech  and  assign  them  a 
rank  in  grammar.  I  shall  name  them  compound  radical 
verbs,  as  holding  a  mean  between  those  which  come  di- 
rectly from  the  root  and  those  which  are  formed  from  the 
derivative  substantives. 

I  classify  verbs  in  three  kinds,  with  regard  to  conju- 
gation, namely:  the  radical,  the  derivative  and  the  com- 
pound radical.  By  the  first,  I  mean  those  which  are  de- 
rived from  the  root  and  which  remain  monosyllables,  such 
as  D1JT  *  *7Q  /  'Ttf  etc.  By  the  second,  those  which  are 
derived  from  a  substantive  already  compound,  and  which 
are  always  dissyllables  such  as  "^p3  •  ftH  •  ^]^9  etc. 
By  the  third,  those  which  are  formed  by  the  adjunction 
of  an  initial  or  terminative  character  to  the  root,  and 
which  appear  in  the  course  of  the  conjugation  sometimes 
monosyllabic  and  sometime  dissyllabic,  such  as 
etc. 


§  III. 

Analysis  of  Nominal  Verbs:  Verbal  Inflection. 

The  signification  of  radical  verbs  depends  always 
upon  the  idea  attached  to  their  root.  When  the  etymolog- 
ist has  this  root  firmly  in  his  memory,  it  is  hardly  pos- 
sible for  him  to  err  in  the  meaning  of  the  verb  which  is 
developed.  If  he  knows  well,  for  example,  that  the  root 
Dt^  contains  the  general  idea  of  a  thing,  upright,  straight, 
remarkable;  of  a  monument,  a  name,  a  sign,  a  place,  a 
fixed  and  determined  time ;  he  will  know  well  that  the  verb 
Dlt^  •  which  is  formed  from  it,  must  express  the  action 
of  instituting,  enacting,  noting,  naming,  designating, 
placing,  putting  up,  etc.  according  to  the  meaning  of  the 
context. 

The  compound  radical  verbs  offer,  it  is  true,  a  few 
more  difficulties,  for  it  is  necessary  to  join  to  the  etymo- 
logical understanding  of  the  root,  that  of  the  initial  or 
terminative  adjunction;  but  this  is  not  impossible.  The 
first  step,  after  finding  the  root,  is  to  conceive  clearly  the 
sort  of  influence  that  this  same  root  and  the  character 
which  is  joined  to  it,  exercise  upon  each  other;  for  their 
action  in  this  respect  is  reciprocal :  here  lies  the  only  dif- 
ficulty. The  signification  of  the  joined  characters  is  not 
in  the  least  perplexing.  One  must  know  that  the  char- 
acters *  and  J  express,  in  their  qualities  as  sign,  the  first, 
a  potential  manifestation,  an  intellectual  duration,  and 
the  second,  an  existence,  produced,  dependent  and  pass- 
ive. So  that  one  can  admit  as  a  general  underlying  idea, 
that  the  adjunction  *»  will  give  to  the  verbal  action,  an 
exterior  force,  more  energetic  and  more  durable,  a  move- 
ment more  apparent  and  more  determined;  whereas  the 
adjunction  j.  on  the  contrary,  will  render  this  same  ac- 
tion more  interior  and  more  involved,  by  bringing  it  back 
to  itself. 

177 


178         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

As  to  the  terminative  adjunction,  since  it  depends' 
upon  the  duplication  of  the  final  sign,  it  also  draws  all 
its  expression  from  this  same  sign  whose  activity  it 
doubles. 

But  let  us  take  as  an  example  of  these  three  modifi- 
cations, the  root  05?,  which  we  already  know  as  radical 
verb,  and  let  us  consider  it  as  compound  radical  verb.  In 
taking  this  verb  Dlt^,  in  the  sense  of  setting  up,  which 
is  its  simplest  acceptation,  we  shall  find  that  the  initial 
adjunction  manifesting  its  action,  gives  it  in  DiK^i  the 
sense  of  exposing,  of  placing  in  sight,  of  putting  in  a  pro- 
minent place:  but  if  this  verb  is  presented  in  a  more  fig- 
urative sense  as  that  of  elevating,  we  shall  see  that  the 
initial  adjunction  J,  bringing  back  its  action  in  itself, 
makes  it  signify,  to  elevate  the  soul,  to  be  inspired,  to  be 
animated;  to  assume,  as  it  were,  the  spirit  of  the  loftiest 
and  most  radiant  parts  of  universal  spirituality.  These 
are  the  two  initial  adjunctions, 

The  terminative  adjunction  being  formed  by  the  dup- 
lication of  the  final  character,  it  is  expedient  to  examine 
this  character  in  the  root  D6T.  Now,  this  character,  con- 
sidered as  the  sign  of  exterior  action,  is  used  here  in  its 
quality  of  collective  sign.  But  this  sign  which  already 
tends  very  much  to  extension,  and  which  develops  the  be- 
ing in  infinite  space  as  much  as  its  nature  permits,  can 
not  be  doubled  without  reaching  that  limit  where  ex- 
tremes meet.  Therefore,  the  extension,  of  which  it  is  the 
image,  is  changed  to  a  dislocation,  a  sort  of  annihilation 
of  being,  caused  by  the  very  excess  of  its  expansive  action. 
Also  the  radical  verb  Oil?,  which  is  limited  to  signifying 
the  occupation  of  a  distinguished,  eminent  place,  presents 
in  the  compound  radical  DDit!%  only  the  action  of  ex- 
tending in  the  void,  of  wandering  in  space,  of  depriving  of 
stability  of  making  deserted,  of  being  delirious,  etc. 

In  this  manner  should  the  radical  and  the  compound 
radical  verbs  be  analyzed.  As  to  the  derivative  verbs, 
their  analysis  is  no  more  difficult;  for,  as  they  come  for 


VERBAL   INFLECTION  179 

the  most  part  from  a  triliteral  substantive,  they  receive 
from  it  verbal  expression.  I  shall  have  many  occasions 
for  examining  these  sorts  of  verbs  in  the  course  of  my 
notes  upon  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses,  so  that  I  shall  dis- 
pense with  doing  so  here:  nevertheless,  in  order  to  leave 
nothing  to  be  desired,  in  this  respect,  for  the  reader  who 
follows  me  closely,  I  shall  give  two  examples. 

Let  us  take  two  verbs  of  great  importance.  NV13  to 
create  and  Tibtf  to  speak,  to  say,  to  declare.  The  first 
thing  to  do  is  to  bring  them  both  back  to  the  substantives 
from  which  they  are  derived:  this  is  simply  done,  by  tak- 
ing away  the  sign  1,  which  verbalizes  them.  The  former 
presents  to  me  in  N*n,  the  idea  of  an  emanated  produc- 
tion, since  13  signifies  a  son,  an  exterior  fruit;  the  latter, 
in  ION,  a  declaration,  a  thing  upon  which  light  is  thrown, 
since  *)NO  signifies  a  luminous  focus,  a  torch.  In  the  first, 
the  character  X  is  a  sign  of  stability ;  in  the  second,  it  is 
only  a  transposition  from  the  middle  of  the  word  to  the 
beginning  to  give  more  energy.  Let  us  take  the  first. 

The  word  "G,  considered  as  primitive  root,  signifies 
not  only  a  son,  but  develops  the  general  idea  of  every 
production  emanated  from  a  generative  being.  Its  ele- 
ments are  worthy  of  the  closest  attention.  It  is  on  the 
other  hand,  the  sign  of  movement  proper  *">,  united  to  that 
of  interior  action  3-  The  first  of  these  signs,  when  it  is 
simply  vocalized  by  the  mother  vowel  N  as  in  "IN,  is  ap- 
plied to  the  elementary  principle,  whatever  it  may  be,  and 
under  whatever  form  it  may  be  conceived;  ethereal,  igne- 
ous, ferial,  aqueous  or  terrestrial  principle.  The  second 
of  these  signs  is  preeminently  the  paternal  symbol.  There- 
fore the  elementary  principle,  whatever  it  may  be,  moved 
by  an  interior,  generative  force,  constitutes  the  root  "1ND 
whence  is  formed  the  compound  substantive  N"}3  and  the 
verb  that  I  am  analyzing,  Kl"1D  :  that  is  to  say,  to  draw 
from  an  unknown  element;  to  make  pass  from  the  prin- 
ciple to  the  essence;  to  make  same  that  which  was  other; 


180 


THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


to  bring  from  the  centre  to  the  circumference;  in  short, 
to  create. 

Now  let  us  see  the  word  *")NO  •  This  word  is  sup- 
ported likewise  by  the  elementary  root  "IN,  but  this  root 
being  enlightened  by  the  intellectual  sign  1,  has  become 
T)X  the  light.  In  this  state  it  assumes,  not  the  paternal 
sign  3,  as  in  the  word  N13,  that  I  have  just  examined, 
but  the  maternal  sign  0,  image  of  exterior  action,  so  as  to 
constitute  the  substantive  "1X0  or  "llNO :  also,  it  is  no 
longer  an  interior  and  creative  action,  but  an  action  ex- 
terior and  propagating,  a  reflection;  that  is  to  say,  a 
luminous  focus,  a  torch  diffusing  light  from  which  it  has 
received  the  principle. 

Such  is  the  image  of  speech.  Such  at  least  is  the  ety- 
mology of  the  Hebraic  verb  T)OX ,  which  is  to  say,  to 
spread  abroad  its  light;  to  declare  its  thought,  its  will;  to 
speak,  etc. 

I  have  now  shown  how  verbs  are  formed  and  ana- 
lyzed ;  let  us  see  how  they  are  inflected  with  the  aid  of  the 
designative  relations  which  I  have  called  articles.  This 
inflection  will  prove  that  these  verbs  are  really  nominal, 
partaking,  on  the  one  hand,  of  the  name  from  which  they 
are  derived  by  their  substance,  and  on  the  other,  of  the 
absolute  verb  from  which  they  receive  the  verbal  life. 

/  enunciative  T^P    the  action  of  ruling 

determinative         Tjl^OH 
directive 
extractive 
mediative 
assimilative 

conjunctive 
designative 


of  the  action  of  ruling 
to  the  action  of  ruling 
from  the  action  of  ruling 
*n  *ne  action  of  ruling 
conformable  to  the  action 

of  ruling 

and  tne  action  of  ruling 
Tjl^O'DJ*    that    which    constitutes 

the  action  of  ruling 


VERBAL  INFLECTION  181 

I  have  a  very  important  observation  to  make  con- 
cerning this  verbal  inflection.  It  is  with  regard  to  the 
conjunctive  article  1.  This  article  which,  placed  in  front 
of  the  nominal  verb,  expresses  only  the  conjunctive  move- 
ment as  in  the  above  example,  takes  all  the  force  of  the 
convertible  sign,  before  the  future  or  past  tense  of  this 
same  verb,  and  changes  their  temporal  modification  in 
such  a  way  that  the  future  tense  becomes  past  and  the 
past  tense  takes  all  the  character  of  the  future.  Thus  for 
example  the  future  iT'T  it  shall  be,  changes  abruptly  the 
signification  in  receiving  the  conjunctive  article  1,  and  be- 
comes the  past  •"TOT  and  it  was:  thus  the  past  fTH  it 
was,  loses  too  its  original  meaning  in  taking  the  same 
article  1,  and  becomes  the  future  flT?!  and  it  shall  be. 

It  is  impossible  to  explain  in  a  satisfactory  manner 
this  idiomatic  Hebraism  without  admitting  the  intrinsic 
force  of  the  universal,  convertible  sign  1  and  without 
acknowledging  its  influence  in  this  case. 

Besides,  we  have  an  adverbial  relation  in  our  own 
tongue,  that  exercises  an  action  almost  similar,  upon  a 
past  tense,  which  it  makes  a  future.  I  do  not  recall  hav- 
ing seen  this  singular  idiomatism  pointed  out  by  any 
grammarian.  It  is  the  adverbial  relation  if.  I  am  giving 
this  example  to  the  reader  that  he  may  see  in  what  man- 
ner a  past  can  become  a  future,  without  the  mind  being 
disturbed  by  the  boldness  of  the  ellipsis  and  without  it 
even  striking  the  attention.  They  ivere  is  assuredly  of 
the  past;  it  becomes  future  in  this  phrase:  if  they  were  in 
ten  years  at  the  end  of  their  labours  they  would  be  happy ! 

The  nominal  verb  participating,  as  I  have  said,  in 
two  natures,  adopts  equally  the  nominal  and  verbal  af- 
fixes. One  finds  'b'frp  and  »4?^P  the  action  of  ruling, 
mine  (my  rule)  :  1D1^9  and  IHD^P  the  action  of  ruling, 
his  (his  rule)  :  etc. 

One  perceives  that  it  is  only  the  sense  of  the  sentence 
which  can  indicate  whether  the  affix  added  here  is  nom- 


182         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


inal  or  verbal.  It  is  an  amphibology  that  Hebrew  writers 
would  have  been  able  to  evade  easily,  by  distinguishing 
the  nominal  affixes  from  the  verbal. 

Here  is  an  example  of  the  verbal  and  nominal  affixes 
united  to  the  nominal  verb.  I  have  followed  the  Chaldaic 
punctuation,  which,  always  submissive  to  the  vulgar  pro- 
nunciation, replaces  the  verbal  sign  1 ,  on  this  occasion, 
by  the  weak  vowel  point,  named  shewa. 


THE  ACTION  OF 

mas. 

my  visiting 


THE  VISITATION 


fem. 
mas. 

2{  ^  thy  visiting 

fem. 
mas.      his  visiting 

3! 

fem.      her  visiting 


Tips 


°r 


{mas.  1  ( ^HpT? 

V  thy  visiting  <                 ^^ 
fem.} 

(  mas.      his  visiting  ''''"HP*?  or  'lp? 


mine 

thine 


THE  ACTION  OF 

f  mas.  \ 
1  <  >  our  visiting 


mas. 


C  m,as.\ 
3  (/em.) 


your 
their      " 


m-1pfiornip£)      hers 

THE  VISITATION 

Ulpfi        ours 

I  T  >  yours 

I P"^pr  I 

i ml 


theirs 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
MODIFICATIONS  OF  THE  VERB. 

§1. 
Form  and  Movement. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  I  have  spoken  of  the  absolute 
verb,  of  the  particular  verbs  which  emanate  from  it,  and 
of  the  various  kinds  of  these  verbs.  I  have  stated  that 
these  verbs  were  subject  t»  four  modifications:  form, 
movement,  time  and  person.  I  am  about  to  make  known 
the  nature  of  these  modifications;  afterward,  I  shall  give 
models  of  the  conjugations  for  all  the  kinds  of  verbs  of 
the  Hebraic  tongue:  for  I  conceive  as  many  conjugations 
as  I  have  kinds  of  verbs,  namely:  radical,  derivative  and 
compound  radical  conjugations.  I  do  not  know  why  the 
Hebraists  have  treated  as  irregular,  the  first  and  third  of 
these  conjugations,  when  it  is  obvious  that  one  of  them, 
the  radical,  is  the  type  of  all  the  others  and  particularly 
of  the  derivative,  which  they  have  chosen  for  their  model 
in  consequence  of  an  absurd  error  which  placed  the  tri- 
literal  verb  in  the  first  etymological  rank. 

I  am  beginning  with  an  explanation  of  what  ought 
to  be  understood  by  the  form  of  the  verb,  and  its  move- 
ment which  is  here  inseparable. 

I  call  verbal  form,  that  sort  of  modification  by  means 
of  which  the  Hebraic  verbs  display  an  expression  more  or 
less  forceful,  more  or  less  direct,  more  or  less  simple  or 
compound.  I  recognize  four  verbal  forms:  positive,  in- 
tensive, excitative  and  reflexive  or  reciprocal  form. 

The  movement  is  active  or  passive.  It  is  inherent 
in  the  form;  for  under  whatever  modification  the  verb 
may  appear,  it  is  indispensable  that  it  present  an  active 
or  passive  action ;  that  is  to  say,  an  action  which  exercises 

183 


184         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

itself  from  within  outwardly  by  an  agent  upon  an  object, 
or  an  action  which  exercises  itself  from  without  inward- 
ly, by  an  object  upon  an  agent.  One  loves  or  one  is  loved; 
one  sees  or  one  is  seen,  etc. 

The  verbs  to  which  modern  grammarians  have  given 
fehe  somewhat  vague  name  of  neuter  verbs  and  which  ap- 
pear indeed  to  be  neither  active  nor  passive,  such  as  to 
sleep,  to  walk,  to  fall,  etc.,  are  verbs,  not  which  unite  the 
two  movements,  as  Harris1  believed  because  this  defini- 
tion agrees  only  with  the  reflexive  form ;  but  verbs  where- 
in the  verbal  action  itself  seizes  the  agent  and  suspends 
it  between  the  two  movements,  making  it  object  without 
taking  from  it  any  of  its  faculty  of  agent.  Thus,  when  I 
say :  /  sleep,  I  walk,  I  fall;  it  is  as  if  one  said :  /  devote 
myself  to  the  action  of  sleeping,  of  walking,  of  falling, 
which  now  exercises  itself  upon  me.  Far  from  having 
called  these  verbs  neuter,  that  is  to  say,  foreign  to  active 
and  passive  movement,  the  grammarians  should  have 
named  them  supcractives;  for  they  dominate  the  active 
movement,  even  as  one  has  proof  in  considering  that  there 
is  not  a  single  active  verb  which,  by  an  abstraction  of 
thought,  being  taken  in  a  general  sense  independent  of 
any  object,  cannot  take  the  character  of  the  verbs  in  ques- 
tion. When  one  says,  for  example,  man  loves,  hates,  wills, 
thinks,  etc.,  the  verbs  to  love,  to  hate,  to  will,  to  think  are 
in  reality  superactives ;  that  is  to  say,  that  the  verbal  ac- 
tion which  they  express,  dominates  the  agent  and  suspends 
in  it  the  active  movement,  without  in  any  manner  render- 
ing it  passive. 

But  let  us  leave  modern  grammar  which  is  not  my 
domain  and  enter  that  of  the  Hebrews,  to  which  I  would 
confine  myself.  It  is  useless  to  speak  of  the  superactive 
movement,  which  all  verbs  can  take,  which  all  can  leave 
and  which  besides,  differs  in  nothing  from  the  active 
movement  in  its  characteristic  course.  Let  us  limit  our- 
selves to  the  two  movements  of  which  I  have  first  spoken 
i  Hermes,  L.  I.  c.  9. 


FOKM  AND  MOVEMENT  185 

and  see  how  they  are  characterized  according  to  their  in- 
herent form. 

I  call  positive,  the  first  of  the  four  forms  of  Hebraic 
verbs.  In  this  form  the  verbal  action,  active  or  passive, 
is  announced  simply  and  in  accordance  with  its  original 
nature.  The  passive  movement  is  distinguished  from  the 
active  by  means  of  the  two  characters  J  and  H  ;  the  first, 
which  is  the  sign  of  produced  being,  governs  the  contin- 
ued facultative;  the  second,  which  is  that  of  life,  governs 
the  nominal  verb.  Therefore  one  finds  for  the  active  move- 
ment, Dip  or  Dj!>»  to  be  establishing,  Dip.  the  action  of 
establishing;  and  for  the  passive  movement  DipJ.  being 
established,  DlpH.  the  action  of  being  established. 

The  second  form  is  what  I  name  intensive,  on  account 
of  the  intensity  which  it  adds  to  the  verbal  action.  Our 
modern  tongues  which  are  deprived  of  this  form,  supply 
the  deficiency  by  the  aid  of  modificatives.  This  form, 
which  a  speaker  can  use  with  great  force,  since  the  accent 
of  the  voice  is  able  to  give  energetic  expression,  is  very 
difficult  to  distinguish  today  in  writing,  particularly, 
since  the  Chaldaic  punctuation  has  substituted  for  the 
mother  vowel  ',  placed  after  the  first  character  of  the 
verb,  the  imperceptible  point  called  hirek.  The  only 
means  which  remains  to  recognize  this  form,  is  the  re- 
doubling of  the  second  verbal  character,  which  being  mark- 
ed unfortunately  again  by  the  insertion  of  the  interior 
point,  is  hardly  more  striking  than  the  point  hirek. 
The  rabbis  having  recognized  this  difficulty  have  as- 
sumed the  very  wise  part  of  giving  to  the  mother 
vowel  *,  the  place  which  has  been,  taken  from  it  by  this 
last  mentioned  point.  It  would  perhaps  be  pTudent  to 
imitate  them,  for  this  form  which  is  of  the  highest  im- 
portance in  •  the  books  of  Moses,  has  scarcely  ever  been 
perceived  by  his  translators.  The  active  and  passive  fac- 
ultative is  governed  by  the  character  0,  sign  of  exterior 
intion,  and  the  second  character  is  likewise  doubled  in 
both  movements;  but  in  the  active  movement,  the  nominal 


18G         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

verb  adopts  the  mother  vowel  ',  or  the  point  hirek  after 
the  first  character;  in  the  passive  movement  it  takes  the 
mother  vowel  1,  or  the  point  kibbuz.  For  the  active  move- 
ment, one  finds  "IpSO  /  to  be  visiting,  inspecting  with  dil- 
igence: "Tp'9  or  "Tp5  the  action  of  visiting,  etc. ;  for  the 
passive  movement  "lp5P>  being  visited,  inspected  with 
diligence:  TipID  or  "Tip£)»  the  action  of  being  visitedf 
etc. 

I  qualify  the  third  form  by  the  name  of  excitative,  in 
order  to  make  understood  as  much  as  possible,  by  one 
single  word,  the  kind  of  excitation  that  it  causes  in  the 
verbal  action,  transporting  this  action  beyond  the  subject 
which  acts,  upon  another  which  it,  is  a  question  of  making 
act.  This  form  is  of  great  effect  in  the  tongue  of  Moses. 
Happily  it  has  a  character  that  the  Chaldaic  point  has 
never  been  able  to  supply  and  which  makes  it  easily  re- 
cognized: it  is  the  sign  of  lifell,  which  governs  the  nom- 
inal verb  in  the  two  movements.  For  the  active  move- 
ment P'pP  to  be  establishing;  Dp?!  or  O'pn  the  action  of 
establishing:  and  for  passive  movement  DpID  being  es- 
tablished; Dpin  the  action  of  being  established. 

The  fourth  form  is  that  which  I  name  reciprocal  or 
reflexive,  because  it  makes  the  verbal  action  reciprocal  or 
because  it  reflects  it  upon  the  very  subject  which  is  acting. 
It  is  easily  recognized  by  means  of  the  characteristic  syl- 
lable fill  composed  of  the  united  signs  of  life  and  of  re- 
ciprocity. The  second  character  of  the  verb,  is  doubled  in 
this  form  as  in  the  intensive,  thus  conserving  all  the  en- 
ergy of  the  latter.  The  two  movements  are  also  here  united 
in  a  single  one,  to  indicate  that  the  agent  which  makes  the 
action,  becomes  the  object  of  its  own  action.  One  finds 
for  the  continued  facultative  "IpfifiO  visiting  each  other; 
"Ip.OfiH  the  action  of  visiting  each  other. 

I  shall  now  enter  into  some  new  details  regarding 
these  four  forms  in  giving  models  of  the  conjugations. 


§  II. 

Tense. 

Thus  Hebraic  verbs  are  modified  with  respect  to  form 
and  movement.  I  hope  that  the  attentive  reader  has  not 
failed  to  observe  with  what  prolific  richness  the  principles, 
which  I  have  declared  to  be  those  of  the  tongue  of  Moses 
in  particular,  and  those  of  all  tongues  in  general,  are  de- 
veloped, and  I  hope  it  will  not  be  seen  without  some  in- 
terest, that  the  sign,  after  having  furnished  the  material 
of  the  noun,  becomes  the  very  substance  of  the  verb  and 
influences  its  modifications.  For,  let  him  examine  care- 
fully what  is  about  to  be  explained — two  movements  be- 
ing united  to  four  forms.  One  of  these  movements  is  pas- 
sive, and  from  its  origin,  is  distinguished  from  the  active, 
by  the  sign  of  produced  being.  The  form,  if  intensive,  is 
the  sign  of  the  duration  and  the  manifestation  which  con- 
stitutes it :  if  it  is  excitative,  it  is  the  same  sign  united  to 
that  of  life:  if  it  is  reflexive,  it  is  the  sign  of  that  which 
is  reciprocal  and  mutual,  which  is  presented.  There  is 
such  a  continuous  chain  of  regularity  that  I  cannot  be- 
lieve it  is  the  result  of  chance. 

Now,  let  us  pass  on  to  the  different  modifications  of 
Hebraic  verbs  under  the  relation  of  Tense.  If,  before  see- 
ing what  these  modifications  are,  I  should  wish  to  exa- 
mine, as  Harris l  and  some  other  grammarians,  the  nature 
of  this  incomprehensible  being  which  causes  them, — Time, 
what  trouble  would  I  not  experience  in  order  to  develop 
unknown  ideas;  ideas  that  I  would  be  unable  to  sustain 
with  anything  sentient !  for  how  can  Time  affect  our  mat- 
erial organs  since  the  past  is  no  more;  since  the  future  is 
not;  since  the  present  is  contained  in  an  indivisible  in- 

i  Hermes,  L.  I.  ch.  7. 

187 


188         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

stant?  Time  is  an  indecipherable  enigma  for  whatever  is 
contained  within  the  circle  of  the  sensations,  and  never- 
theless the  sensations  alone  give  it  a  relative  existence.  If 
they  did  not  exist,  what  would  it  be? 

It  is  measure  of  life.  Change  life  and  you  will  change 
Time.  Give  another  movement  to  matter  and  you  will 
have  another  space.  Space  and  Time  are  analogous  things. 
There,  it  is  matter  which  is  changed;  here,  it  is  life.  Man, 
intelligent  and  sentient  being,  understands  matter  through 
his  corporeal  organs,  but  not  through  those  of  his  intel- 
ligence; he  has  the  intellectual  sentiment  of  life,  but  he 
grasps  it  not.  This  is  why  Space  and  Time  which  appear 
so  near,  remain  unknown  to  him.  In  order  to  understand 
them,  man  must  needs  awaken  a  third  faculty  within  him, 
which  being  supported  at  the  same  time  both  by  sensa- 
tions and  by  sentiment,  and  enlightening  at  the  same  time 
the  physical  and  mental  qualities,  unites  in  them  the  sep- 
arated faculties.  Then  a  new  universe  would  be  unveiled 
before  his  eyes;  then  he  would  fathom  the  depths  of  space, 
he  would  grasp  the  fugitive  essence  of  Time;  it  would  be 
known  in  its  double  nature. 

Still  if  one  asks  me  if  this  third  faculty  exists,  or  even 
if  it  can  exist,  I  shall  state  that  it  is  what  Socrates  called 
divine  inspiration  and  to  which  he  attributed  the  power 
of  virtue. 

But  whatever  Time  may  be,  I  have  not  dwelt  a  mo- 
ment upon  its  nature,  I  have  only  tried  to  make  its  pro- 
found obscurity  felt,  in  order  that  it  be  understood,  that 
all  peoples,  not  having  considered  it  in  the  same  manner, 
could  not  have  experienced  the  same  effects.  Also  it  is 
very  necessary  in  all  idioms,  that  verbs  conform  to  the 
tenses,  and  especially  that  the  idiomatic  genius  should 
assign  them  the  same  limits. 

The  modern  tongues  of  Europe  are  very  rich  in  this 
respect,  but  they  owe  this  richness,  first,  to  the  great  num- 
ber of  idioms  whose  debris  they  have  collected  and  of 
which  they  were  insensibly  composed ;  afterward,  with  the 


TENSE  189 

progress  of  the  mind  of  man  whose  ideas,  accumulating 
with  the  centuries,  are  refined  and  polished  more  and 
more,  and  are  developed  into  a  state  of  perfection.  It  is 
a  matter  worthy  of  notice,  and  which  holds  very  closely 
to  the  history  of  mankind,  that  the  tongues  of  the  North 
of  Europe,  those  whence  are  derived  the  idioms  so  rich 
today  in  temporal  modifications,  had  in  their  origin  only 
two  simple  tenses,  the  present  and  the  past :  they  lacked 
the  future ;  whereas  the  tongues  of  Occidental  Asia,  which 
appear  of  African  origin,  lacked  the  present,  having  like- 
wise only  two  simple  tenses,  the  past  and  the  future. 

Modern  grammarians  who  have  broached  the  deli- 
cate question  of  the  number  of  tenses  possessed  by  the 
French  tongue,  one  of  the  most  varied  of  Europe,  and  of 
the  world  in  this  regard,  have  been  very  far  from  being 
in  accord.  Some  have  wished  to  recognize  only  five,  count- 
ing as  real  tenses,  only  the  simplest  ones,  such  as  I  love, 
I  loved,  I  icas  loving,  I  shall  love,  I  should  love;  consider- 
ing the  others  as  but  temporal  gradations.  Abbe  Girard 
has  enumerated  eight;  Harris,  twelve;  Beauzee,  twenty. 
These  writers  instead  of  throwing  light  upon  this  matter 
have  obscured  it  more  and  more.  They  are  like  painters 
who,  with  a  palette  charged  with  colours,  instead  of  in- 
structing themselves  or  instructing  others  concerning  their 
usage  and  the  best  manner  of  mixing  them,  amuse  them- 
selves disputing  over  their  number  and  their  rank. 

There  are  three  principal  colours  in  light,  as  there 
are  three  principal  tenses  in  the  verb.  The  art  of  paint- 
ing consists  in  knowing  how  to  distinguish  these  principal 
colours,  blue,  red  and  yellow;  the  median  colours  violet, 
orange  and  green;  and  those  median  colours  of  infinite 
shades  which  can  arise  from  their  blending.  Speech  is  a 
means  of  painting  thought.  The  tenses  of  the  verb  are  the 
coloured  lights  of  the  picture.  The  more  the  palette  is 
rich  in  shades,  the  more  a  people  gives  flight  to  its  ima- 
gination. Each  writer  makes  use  of  this  palette  accord- 
ing to  his  genius.  It  is  in  the  delicate  manner  of  compos- 


190         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

ing  the  shades  and  of  mixing   them,    that   painters   and 
writers  are  alike  distinguished. 

It  is  well  known  that  ancient  painters  were  ignorant 
of  the  shades  and  half-tones.  They  used  the  primary 
colours  without  mixing  them.  A  picture  composed  of 
four  colours  was  regarded  as  a  miracle  of  art.  The  colours 
of  speech  were  not  more  varied.  These  shades  of  verbal 
light  which  we  call  compound  tenses  were  unknown.  The 
Hebrews  were  not  poorer  in  this  respect,  than  the  Ethiop- 
ians and  the  Egyptians,  renowned  for  their  wisdom;  the 
Assyrians,  famous  for  their  power;  the  Phoenicians,  re- 
cognized for  their  vast  discoveries  and  their  colonies;  the 
Arabs  finally,  whose  high  antiquity  can  not  be  contested : 
all  of  these  had,  properly  speaking,  only  two  verbal  tenses : 
the  future  and  the  past. 

But  one  must  not  think  that  in  these  ancient  tongues, 
and  particularly  in  the  Hebrew,  these  two  tenses  were  so 
determined,  so  decisive,  as  they  have  since  become  in  our 
modern  idioms,  or  that  they  signified  precisely  that  which 
was,  or  that  which  must  be,  as  we  understand  by  it  has 
been,  it  shall  be;  the  temporal  modifications  n*n»  and 
n*n|»  express  in  Hebrew,  not  a  rupture,  a  break  in  tem- 
poral continuity,  but  a  continued  duration,  uniting,  with- 
out the  slightest  interruption,  the  most  extreme  point  of 
the  past  to  the  indivisible  instant  of  the  present,  and 
this  indivisible  instant  to  the  most  extreme  point  of  the 
future.  So  that  it  was  sufficient  by  a  single  restriction  of 
thought,  by  a  simple  inflection  of  the  voice,  to  fix  upon 
this  temporal  line,  any  point  whatever  from  the  past  to 
the  present,  or  from  the  present  to  the  future,  and  to  ob- 
tain thus  by  the  aid  of  the  two  words  JTPI  and  JTf?*  •  the 
same  differences  which  modern  tongues  acquire  with  dif- 
ficulty, through  the  following  combinations:  /  was,  I  have 
been,  I  had  been,  I  shall  be,  I  should  be,  I  may  have  been, 
I  might  have  been,  I  ought  to  be,  I  would  be,  I  have  to  be, 
I  had  to  be,  I  am  about  to  be,  I  was  about  to  be. 


TENSE  191 

I  have  purposely  omitted  from  this  list  of  tenses  the 
indivisible  instant  /  am,  which  makes  the  fourteenth,  be- 
cause this  instant  is  never  expressed  in  Hebrew  except 
by  the  pronoun  alone,  or  by  the  continued  facultative,  as 
in  nirr  O^f»  /  am  YAHWEH:  N^b  ^H  behold  me 
leading;  etc. 

It  is  on  this  account  that  one  should  be  careful  in  a 
correct  translation,  not  always  to  express  the  Hebraic 
past  or  future,  which  are  vague  tenses,  by  the  definite 
tenses.  One  must  first  examine  the  intention  of  the  writer, 
and  the  respective  condition  of  things.  Thus,  to  give  an 
example,  although,  in  the  French  and  English  word-for- 
word  translation,  conforming  to  custom,  I  have  rendered 
the  verb  N"p,  of  the  first  verse  of  the  Cosmogony  of 
Moses,  by  he  created,  I  have  clearly  felt  that  this  verb  sig- 
nified there,  he  had  created;  as  I  have  expressed  it  in  the 
correct  translation;  for  this  antecedent  nuance  is  irresis- 
tibly determined  by  the  verb  tlfVtl»  it  existed,  in  speak- 
ing of  the  earth  an  evident  object  of  an  anterior  creation. 

Besides  the  two  tenses  of  which  I  have  just  spoken, 
there  exists  still  a  third  tense  in  Hebrew,  which  I  call 
transitive,  because  it  serves  to  transport  the  action  of  the 
past  to  the  future,  and  because  it  thus  participates  in  both 
tenses  by  serving  them  as  common  bond.  Modern  gram- 
marians have  improperly  named  it  imperative.  This  name 
would  Le  suitable  if  used  only  to  express  commands;  but 
as  one  employs  it  as  often  in  examining,  desiring,  demand- 
ing and  even  entreating,  I  do  not  see  why  one  should  re- 
fuse it  a  name  which  would  be  applicable  to  all  these 
ideas  and  which  would  show  its  transitive  action. 


§  III. 


Formation  of  Verbal  Tenses  by  Means  of  Pronominal 
Persons. 


After  having  thus  made  clear  the  modification  of  Heb- 
raic verbs  relative  to  tense,  there  remains  only  for  me  to 
say  how  they  are  formed.  But  before  everything  else  it  is 
essential  to  remember  what  should  be  understood  by  the 
three  Pronominal  Persons. 

When  I  treated  of  nominal  relations,  known  under 
the  denomination  of  Personal  and  Kelative  pronouns,  I 
did  not  stop  to  explain  what  should  be  understood  by  the 
three  Pronominal  Persons,  deeming  that  it  was  in  speak- 
ing of  the  verb  that  these  details  would  be  more  suitably 
placed,  so  much  the  more  as  my  plan  was  to  consider  per- 
son,, as  one  of  the  four  modifications  of  the  verb. 

Person  and  tense  are  as  inseparable  as  form  and  move- 
ment; never  can  the  one  appear  without  the  other;  for  it 
is  no  more  possible  to  conceive  person  without  tense,  than 
verbal  form  without  active  or  passive  movement. 

At  the  time  when  I  conceived  the  bold  plan  of  bring- 
ing back  the  Hebraic  tongue  to  its  constitutive  principles 
by  deriving  it  wholly  from  the  sign,  I  saw  that  the  sign  had 
three  natural  elements:  voice,  gesture  and  traced  charac- 
ters. Now  by  adhering  to  the  traced  characters  to  develop 
the  power  of  the  sign,  I  think  I  have  made  it  clearly  un- 
derstood, that  I  consider  them  not  as  any  figures  what- 
ever, denuded  of  life  and  purely  material,  but  as  symbolic 
and  living  images  of  the  generative  ideas  of  language,  ex- 
pressed at  first  by  the  sundry  inflections  which  the  voice 

192 


FORMATION  OF  VERBAL  TENSES  193 

received  from  the  organs  of  man.  Therefore  these  char- 
acters have  always  represented  to  me,  the  voice,  by  means 
of  the  verbal  inflections  whose  symbols  they  are;  they 
have  also  represented  to  me,  the  gesture  with  which  each 
inflection  is  necessarily  accompanied,  and  when  the  sign 
has  developed  the  three  parts  of  speech,  the  noun,  the  rela- 
tion and  the  verb,  although  there  may  not  be  a  single  one 
of  these  parts  where  the  three  elements  of  speech  do  not 
act  together,  I  have  been  able  to  distinguish,  nevertheless, 
that  part  where  each  of  them  acts  more  particularly.  The 
voice,  for  example,  appears  to  me  to  be  the  dominant  fac- 
tor in  the  verb;  the  vocal  accent  or  the  character  in  the 
noun,  and  the  gesture  finally  in  the  relation.  So  that  if 
man  making  use  of  speech  follows  the  sentiment  of  nature 
he  must  raise  the  voice  in  the  verb,  accentuate  more  the 
noun  and  place  the  gesture  upon  the  relation.  It  seems 
even  as  though  experience  confirms  this  grammatical  re- 
mark especially  in  what  concerns  the  gesture.  The  ar- 
ticle and  the  prepositions  which  are  designative  relations, 
the  pronouns  of  any  kind  which  are  nominal  relations,  the 
adverbs  which  are  adverbial  relations,  always  involve  a 
gesture  expressed  or  understood.  Harris  had  already  ob- 
served this  coincidence  of  the  gesture  and  had  not  hesi- 
tated to  place  in  it  the  source  of  all  pronouns,  following 
in  this  the  doctrine  of  the  ancients,  related  by  Apollonius 
and  Priscian. 1 

Harris  was  right  in  this.  It  is  the  gesture  which,  al- 
ways accompanying  the  nominal  relations,  has  given  birth 
to  the  distinction  of  the  three  persons,  showing  itself  by 
turn  identical,  mutual,  other  or  relative.  The  identical 
gesture  produces  the  first  person  I,  or  me,  ',){$*  this  is  a 
being  which  manifests  itself;  the  mutual  gesture  produces 
the  second  person,  thou  or  thcc  HH^  J  this  is  a  mutual  be- 
ing ;  the  other,  or  relative  gesture,  produces  the  third  per- 

iHermes.     Liv.  I.     Chap.  5     Apoll.  de  Synt;  Llv.  II,  Chap  5.  Prise. 
Liv.  XII. 


194         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

son,  he  or  him,  K1H  5  this  is  another  being,  sometimes  re- 
lative, as  in  the  English  pronoun,  sometimes  absolute,  as 
in  the  Hebraic  pronoun. 

These  personal  pronouns  whose  origin  I  here  explain, 
are  like  the  substantive  nouns  which  they  replace  in 
speech,  subject  to  gender,  number  and  inflection  of  the  ar- 
ticles. I  have  explained  them  under  these  different  rela- 
tions and  now  we  can  see  how  in  Hebrew,  they  determine 
the  tense  of  the  verbs.  It  is  a  matter  worthy  of  attention 
and  it  has  not  escaped  the  sagacity  of  Court  de  Gebelin. 2 
After  being  contracted  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  be  con- 
fused with  the  verbal  affixes,  the  personal  pronouns  are 
placed  before  the  nominal  verb,  when  it  is  a  question  of 
forming  the  future,  and  to  form  the  past,  they  are  placed 
after  the  verb  so  as  to  express  by  this,  that  the  action  is 
already  done. 

By  this  simple  yet  energetic  manner  of  showing  ver- 
bal tenses,  the  Hebraic  genius  adds  another  which  is  none 
the  less  forceful  and  which  proceeds  from  the  power  of 
the  sign.  It  allows  the  luminous  sign  1 ,  which  constitutes 
the  nominal  verb,  to  stand  in  the  future;  and  not  content 
with  making  it  appear  1,  in  the  finished  facultative,  makes 
it  disappear  wholly  in  the  past;  so  that  the  third  person 
of  this  tense,  which  is  found  without  the  masculine  pro- 
noun, is  exactly  the  same  as  the  root,  or  the  compound 
whence  the  verb  is  derived.  This  apparent  simplicity  is 
the  reason  why  the  Hebraists  have  taken  generally  the 
third  person  of  the  past,  for  the  root  of  the  Hebraic  verb 
and  why  they  have  given  it  this  rank  in  all  the  diction- 
aries. Their  error  is  having  confounded  the  moment  when 
it  finishes,  with  that  in  which  it  begins,  and  not  having 
had  enough  discernment  to  see  that  if  the  nominal  verb 

2  Grammaire  Univ.  page  245.  Court  de  Gobelin  has  put  some  ob- 
scurity into  his  explanation;  but  although  he  may  be  mistaken  in  re- 
spect to  the  tenses,  it  is  plainly  seen  that  what  he  said  is  exactly  what 
I  say. 


FORMATION  OF  VERBAL  TENSES  195 

did  not  claim  priority  over  all  the  tenses,  this  priority 
would  belong  to  the  transitive  as  the  most  simple  of  all. 

Here  is  the  new  character  which  the  personal  pro- 
nouns take  in  order  to  form  verbal  tenses. 


we 


The  affixes  of  the  future  placed  before  the  verb,  with  the 
terminations  which  follow  them. 

(  mas.  \ 
1<  >...,«     I 

(/—{ 

(mas.      .  ...n) 

2  <  f thou 

(/em.     »_.,-,  fij 

( mas.     ,          »     he 
3< 


/em.      ,  ,  ,  ,  n      she 


!mas. 

| 

yewi. 

' 

•4 

!m-as. 

,  i,,n 

S3 

9  < 

/em. 

n:  .  ,  n 

£H 

Smas. 

..i..  » 

i)  < 

/em. 

HJ  .  .  n 

they 


Affixes  of  the  past  placed  after  the  verb. 


^  mas.  s 

(  mas.  ' 
1 

)           ' 

>  .  ,  ,  >n   i 

,..,.«    we 

(/em. 

— 

(  mas. 

...,n) 

>thou 

J 

««3 

- 

(  mas. 

.  .  .  on  ) 
/ye 

M 

o 

(/em. 

.,..n) 

P 

(/em. 

M 

/ 

he 

1-1 

/  tYidS, 

3< 

>  1    they 

(/em. 

.  .  .  .  H     she 

l/^v 

I  do  not  speak  of  the  affixes  of  the  transitive,  because 
this  tense,  which  holds  a  sort  of  mean  between  the  future 
and  the  past,  has  no  affixes  properly  speaking,  but  has 
terminations  which  it  borrows  from  both  tenses. 

Hebraic  words  moreover,  do  not  recognize  what  we 
call  verbal  moods,  by  means  of  which  we  represent  in  our 
modern  idioms,  the  state  of  the  will  relative  to  the  verbal 


196         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

action,  whether  that  will  is  influential  or  resolute,  as  in 
/  am  doing,  I  have  done,  I  shall  do;  whether  it  is  dubitative 
or  irresolute,  as  in  /  might  have  done,  I  should  have  done, 
I  would  do;  or  whether  it  is  influenced  or  constrained,  as 
in  /  must  do,  that  I  may  do;  I  was  obliged  to  do,  that  I 
might  have  done;  I  shall  be  obliged  to  do;  I  should  be  ob- 
liged to  do;  the  modern  tongue  is  of  an  inexhaustible 
richness  in  this  respect.  It  colours  with  the  most  delicate 
shades  all  the  volitive  and  temporal  modifications  of  verbs. 
The  nominal  verb  and  also  the  transitive  show  this  fine 
shading  of  the  meaning.  To  do,  for  example,  is  an  indef- 
inite nominal,  but  /  have  just  done,  I  am  doing,  I  am  go- 
ing to  do,  show  the  same  nominal  expression  of  the  past, 
the  present  and  the  future.  The  transitive  do,  conveys 
visibly  the  action  from  one  tense  to  the  other,  but  if  I  say 
may  have  done,  may  have  to  do,  this  change  marks  first  a 
past  in  a  future,  and  afterward  a  future  in  a  future. 

After  this  data  I  now  pass  on  to  the  models  of  the 
three  verbal  conjugations,  according  to  their  forms  and 
their  movements,  supporting  them  with  certain  remarks 
concerning  the  most  striking  anomalies  which  can  be 
found. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

CONJUGATIONS. 

SI. 

Radical  Conjugation. 
POSITIVE  FORM. 

ACTIVE   MOVEMENT. 
CONTINUED    FACULTATIVE 

mo*.  DpTorDip|tobe 

fern.          HDlp  |  establishing 

PASSIVE   MOVEMENT. 
CONTINUED    FACULTATIVE 


fern.        nolp  J  j  established 

FINISHED. 

was.  Dip  ^ 

>to  be  established 
/em.        ™1p) 

NOMINAL  VERB. 

obol.        °V)  to  establish  .-action 
cowtr.       Dip)  of  establishing 

afeso?.  )  }  ' 

faction  of  being 

cvnxtr)  D1Pn  j  established 
197 


198        THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTOBED 


TEMPORAL  VERB.    FUTURE. 


/ 

/. 

??l. 

/. 
/. 

m. 

m. 
/. 


{ 

a 
'if 

tr 

a 


/• 

m. 
/• 


I  shall  or 
establish 


shalt 
establish 


he  shall  establish 
Dlpn    she    " 

( 

Jwe  shall  or 

I  establish 


you  shall 
establish 


shall 
(  establish 

I  shall  or  will 
be  established 

thou  shalt 
be  established 

Dip*    he  shall  be  established 


Dipm 

'  1 


Dipfl    she    " 


we  shall  or  will 
be  established 


(be  established 

)they  shall 
Tbe  established 


CONJUGATIONS  199 


TRANSITIVE. 

Dip) 

>  establish 

'Dip) 


E 


Jm'l 


™Pj 
"UOIpj 

oiprn 


•establish 

I/.  n^P) 


be  established 


m.  ._,... 

be  established 


PAST. 
'fl£?|2    I  established 

~  >  thou  established 


^ 

S 

|^m.  DpT    ^e  established 

3  )/.  HOpT    she 


( 

we  established 


t  m. 
2 


lv-. 

D^P-  Lou  established 

/.       rwp.) 

3  i  m- 1  «|Qp    4^  established 


200         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTORED 


1  was 
established 


^"-"'^'thou  wast 
established 

he  was  established 

she   "  " 


we  were 
established 


—..—  •i'-.  i  you  were 
established 


jthey  were 
)  established 


INTENSIVE  FORM. 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT.  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT. 

FACULTATIVE. 

CONTINUED.  CONTINUED. 

mas. 


.    nooipp          fem,,    nopipo 

FINISHED. 

mas  ..... 

like  the  passive 


NOMINAL  VERB. 

absol.   1  absol. 

DDlp 
constr.  \  constr. 


CONJUGATIONS 


201 


TEMPORAL   VERB.   FUTURE. 

in  . 


.(- 

V 


- 


/• 


TRANSITIVE. 

DOip       6      (  m. 

2  2 


1001P 


P2( 


I/. 


PAST. 


opip 
nopip 


- 


opipn 


looin 


wanting 


nppip 


(m.  DPlp 

(/•        nopip 


202        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


EXCITATIVE  FORM. 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT.  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT. 

FACULTATIVE. 


CONTINUED. 

was. 


/m. 


CONTINUED. 

mas-  DjTIO 

/em. 


FINISHED. 


mas } 

>lik 
/em j 


like  the  passive 


NOMINAL   VERB. 


absol. 
constr. 


constr. 


CONJUGATIONS 


203 


. 


TEMPORAL   VERB. 


FUTURE. 


D»pn 

D'M 


/• 

m. 
/ 


- 


Dpi* 

opin 


nyppin 


TRANSITIVE. 


wanting 


204         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

PAST. 


4} 


f 

{:} 


i.    opypg 


rj    W$OT 


ir 

a 


/. 


REFLEXIVE  FORM. 
ACTIVE  AND  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT  UNITED. 

FACULTATIVE. 

S  {mas. 

fern.        HC 


>  wanting 


CONJUGATIONS 

NOMINAL  VERB. 
FUTURE. 


205 


absol. 
constr. 


TEMPORAL   VERB. 

FUTURE. 

mas. 


fern, 
(mas. 

(fern, 
(mas. 

\ 

(/em. 

(mas.  1 

(/em.) 
f  mas. 

(/em. 
(mas. 

V- 


206         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

TRANSITIVE 

mas. 


fern. 
mas. 


PAST. 

mas. 


fem. 


nppipnn 


/em. 
mas. 

fem. 
mas. 


(fem. 

mas.     Dflppiprin 

fem. 


mas. 


t  /em.  ) 


CONJUGATIONS  207 

Remarks  upon  the  Radical  Conjugation. 

I  have  already  clearly  shown  why  the  conjugation 
which  the  Hebraists  treat  as  irregular,  should  be  consider- 
ed as  the  first  of  all.  The  verbs  which  depend  upon  it  are 
those  which  are  formed  directly  from  the  root.  The  one 
that  I  have  chosen  as  type  is  the  same  as  that  which  the 
Hebraists  have  ordinarily  chosen.  As  to  the  meaning,  it 
is  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  all  the  Hebraic  tongue.  The 
Latin  surgere  expresses  only  the  least  of  its  acceptations. 
As  I  shall  often  have  occasion  to  speak  of  it  in  my  notes, 
I  am  limiting  myself  to  one  simple  analysis. 

The  sign  p  is,  as  we  know,  the  sign  of  agglomerative 
or  repressive  force,  the  image  of  material  existence,  the 
means  of  the  forms.  Now  this  sign  offers  a  different  ex- 
pression according  as  it  begins  or  terminates  the  root.  If 
it  terminates  it  as  in  pH,  for  example,  it  characterizes 
that  which  is  finished,  definite,  bound,  arrested,  cut,  shap- 
ed upon  a  model,  designed:  if  it  begins  it,  as  in  Hp/  1p 
or  'p,  it  designates  that  which  is  indefinite,  vague,  inde- 
terminate, unformed.  In  the  first  case  it  is  matter  put 
in  action;  in  the  second,  it  is  matter  appropriate  to  be 
put  in  action.  This  last  root,  bearing  in  the  word  01p 
or  D'p,  the  collective  sign,  represents  substance  in  gen- 
eral; employed  as  verb  it  expresses  all  the  ideas  which 
spring  from  substance  and  from  its  modifications:  such 
as,  to  substantialize,  to  spread  out,  to  rise  into  space;  to 
exist  in  substance,  to  subsist,  to  consist,  to  resist;  to  clothe 
in  form  and  in  substance,  to  establish,  to  constitute,  to 
strengthen,  to  make  firm,  etc.  One  must  feel  after  this 
example,  how  difficult  and  dangerous  it  is  to  confine  the 
Hebraic  verbs  to  a  fixed  and  determined  expression;  for 
this  expression  results  always  from  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase  and  the  intention  of  the  writer. 

As  to  the  four  forms  to  which  I  here  submit  the  verb 
Dip,  I  must  explicitly  state,  not  only  as  regards  this 


208         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

conjugation  but  also  for  those  which  follow,  that  all  verbs 
do  not  receive  them  indifferently;  that  some  affect  one 
form  more  than  another,  and  finally,  that  there  are  some 
which  one  never  finds  under  the  positive  form.  But  once 
again,  what  matter  these  variations?  It  is  not  a  question 
of  writing  but  of  understanding  Hebrew. 

Positive  Form. 

Active  movement.  Although  the  modern  Hebraists, 
with  an  unprecedented  whimsicality,  have  taken  the  third 
person  of  the  past  for  the  theme  of  all  verbs,  they  are 
forced  to  agree  that  in  this  conjugation,  this  third  person 
is  not  in  the  least  thematic :  one  also  finds  in  dictionaries, 
the  nominal  Dip  presented  as  theme:  and  this  ought  to 
be,  not  only  for  all  radical  verbs  such  as  this  one,  but  for 
all  kinds  of  verbs. 

The  continued  facultative  is  often  marked  by  the 
luminous,  sign  1,  as  can  be  seen  in  *V)K  to  be  shining.  The 
Chaldaic  punctuation  is  not  consistent  in  the  manner  of 
replacing  this  sign.  Instead  of  the  point  kamez  which  is 
found  here  in  Dp,  one  meets  the  sere,  in  "Uf  to  be  watch- 
ing, vigilant,  and  in  some  others.  I  state  here  once  more, 
that  the  feminine  facultative,  in  the  continued  active  and 
passive,  as  well  as  in  the  finished,  changes  the  character 
Jl  into  n»  and  that  one  finds  equally  fiOlp  or  ^^p ; 
HDlp^  or  riplp^ ;  ilQIp  or  fiplp  •  I  have  already  men- 
tioned this  variation  in  chapter  V.  §  3,  in  treating  of  gen- 
der. I  do  not  mention  the  plural  of  the  facultatives,  since 
its  formation  offers  no  difficulties. 

The  future  has  sometimes  the  emphatic  article  H>  as 
well  as  the  transitive.  One  finds  HDlpK,  /  shall  establish, 
I  shall  raise  up.  ny\&>  come!  arise!  return  to  thy  first 
state,  etc. 

The  past,  which,  by  its  nature,  ought  to  lose  the  lu- 
minous sign,  conserves  it,  however,  in  certain  verbs  where 


CONJUGATIONS  209 


it  is  identical;  such  as  *V)K>  it  shone;  IP'lii  it  reddened, 
etc.  One  also  finds  the  zere  substituted  by  the  kamez  in 
HO  he  died.  I  observe  at  this  point,  that  all  verbs  in  gen- 
eral which  terminate  with  H,  do  not  double  this  character, 
either  in  the  first  or  second  person  of  the  past,  but  receive 
the  interior  point  only  as  duplicative  accent.  One  finds 
therefore  *J1D  /  was  dying,  J1O  thou  wast  dying,  DJ1O  you 
were  dying,  etc. 

Passive  movement.  The  inadequate  denomination 
which  the  Hebraists  had  given  to  the  facultatives  in  con- 
sidering them  as  present  or  past  participles,  had  always 
prevented  them  from  distinguishing  the  continued  facul- 
tative of  the  passive  movement,  from  the  finished  faculta- 
tive belonging  to  the  two  movements.  It  was  impossible 
in  fact,  after  their  explanations  to  perceive  the  delicate 
difference  which  exists  in  Hebrew  between  DlpJ  that 
ivhich  became,  becomes  or  will  become  established,  and 
D1p»  that  which  was,  is  or  will  be  established.  When,  for 
example,  it  was  a  matter  of  explaining  how  the  verb  ftVH 
or  ni'.rr  the  action  of  being,  of  living,  could  have  a  pass- 
ive facultative,  they  are  lost  in  ridiculous  interpretations. 
They  perceived  not  that  the  difference  of  these  three  fac- 
ultatives iTifl  »  JTrO  and  nVn  was  in  the  continued  or 
finished  movement  :  as  we  would  say  a  being  being,  living; 
a  thing  being  effected;  a  being  realized,  a  thing  effected. 

It  is  easy  to  see,  moreover,  in  the  inspection  of  the 
passive  movement  alone,  that  the  Chaldaic  punctuation 
has  altered  it  much  less  than  the  other.  The  verbal  sign 
is  almost  invariably  found  in  its  original  strength. 

Intensive  Form. 

Radical  verbs  take  this  form  by  redoubling  the  final 
character;  so  that  its  signification  depends  always  upon 
the  signification  of  this  character  as  sign.  In  the  case  in 
question,  the  final  character  being  considered  as  collective 


210         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

sign,  its  redoubling  expresses  a  sudden  and  general  usur- 
pation. Thus  the  verb  QDlp*  can  be  translated,  according  to 
the  circumstance,  by  the  action  of  extending  indefinitely, 
of  existing  in  substance  in  an  universal  manner;  of  estab- 
lishing, of  establishing  strongly,  with  energy;  of  resisting, 
of  opposing  vigorously,  etc. 

In  this  state  this  verb  is  easily  confused  with  a  deriv- 
ative verb,  if  the  verbal  sign,  instead  of  being  placed 
after  the  first  character,  as  it  is,  was  placed  after  the  sec- 
ond, as  is  seen  in  "llpp  to  visit :  notwithstanding  this  dif- 
ference, the  rabbis,  not  finding  this  form  sufficiently  char- 
acterized, have  substituted  for  it  the  hyphen  of  the  Chal- 
daic,  some  examples  of  which,  one  finds  moreover,  in  the 
Sepher  of  the  Hebrews.  This  form  consists  in  substitut- 
ing the  sign  of  manifestation  and  duration,  for  that  of 
light,  and  in  saying,  without  doubling  the  final  character, 
D?p  instead  of  DOip  »  JTIl  instead  of  331(1 »  etc. 

Sometimes  too,  not  content  with  doubling  the  last 
character  of  the  root  as  in  DDlp »  the  entire  root  is  doubled, 
as  in  ^^O  to  achieve,  to  consummate  ivholly;  but  these 
sorts  of  verbs  belong  to  the  second  conjugation  and  fol- 
low the  intensive  form  of  the  derivative  verbs. 

The  passive  movement  has  nothing  remarkable  in  it- 
self except  the  very  great  difficulty  of  distinguishing  it 
from  the  active  movement,  which  causes  it  to  be  little  used. 

Excitative  Form. 

This  form  perfectly  characterized,  as  much  in  the 
passive  movement  as  in  the  active,  is  of  great  usefulness  in 
the  tongue  of  Moses.  I  have  already  spoken  of  its  effects 
and  of  its  construction.  It  can  be  observed  in  this  ex- 
ample that  the  convertible  sign  *),  which  constitutes  the 
radical  verb  Dip ,  is  changed  into  %  in  the  active  move- 
ment, and  is  transposed  in  the  passive  movement,  before 
the  initial  character. 

The  only  comment  I  have  to  make  is,  that  the  Chal- 


CONJUGATIONS  211 

daic  punctuation  sometimes  substitutes  the  point  zere  for 
the  mother  vowel  */  of  the  active  movement,  and  the  point 
kibbuz  for  the  sign  1  of  the  passive  movement.  So  that 
one  finds  the  continued  facultative  *150  making  angry; 
the  future  WH  /  thou  shalt  bring  back,  and  even  the  past 
he  was  aroused  to  establish  himself;  etc. 


Reflexive  Form. 

This  form  differs  from  the  intensive  in  its  construc- 
tion, only  by  the  addition  of  the  characteristic  syllable  DH  ; 
as  can  be  seen  in  the  nominal  DOlpAl  •  For  the  rest,  the 
two  movements  are  united  in  a  single  one. 

All  that  is  essential  to  observe,  is  relative  to  this  syl- 
lable fin.  Now  it  undergoes  what  the  Hebraists  call 
syncope  and  metathesis. 

The  syncope  takes  place  when  one  of  the  two  charac- 
ters is  effaced  as  in  the  facultative  DpipJ^O,  and  in  the 
future  DOiprW*'  where  the  character  Jl  is  found  replaced 
by  D  or  X  ;  or  when,  to  avoid  inconsonance,  one  supres- 
ses  the  character  D/  before  a  verb  commencing  with  D» 
which  takes  its  place  with  the  interior  point;  as  in  *irttDfi 
to  be  purified. 

The  metathesis  takes  place  when  the  first  character 
of  a  verb  is  one  of  the  four  following  :  f  /  D  /  ¥  /  tP  •  Then 
the  H  of  the  characteristic  syllable  fiTf/  is  transposed  after 
this  initial  character,  by  being  changed  into"!  after  t,  and 
into  tO  after  V;  as  can  be  seen  in  the  derivative  verbs 
cited  in  the  examples. 

to  praise,  to  exhalt          iT3f)t#l   to  be  praised 
to  be  just  pH&Vn    to  be  justified 

to  close  "VJflH    to  be  closed 


to  prepare  ['O^t'l    to  be  prepared 


212        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


§  II. 

DERIVATIVE  CONJUGATION 


POSITIVE  FORM 


ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED.  CONTINUED. 

mas.         IiD  mas. 


/em.      'J  fern. 

FINISHED. 

mas.    T)p£  /em. 


absol. 
constr. 


NOMINAL    VERB 


ip? 


constr. 


TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE. 


{;]  TO 

fra.          -!ip9J1 

{/.       Hippn 


-upon 


n 

(m. 

i 

(m. 

V- 


^m.  npp* 

< 

(/•     n;"tipfin 


npsn 


mas. 
fern, 
mas. 
fern. 


CONJUGATIONS 

TRANSITIVE 

§2 


213 


mas. 


fern. 

(mas. 

&< 

*     (/em. 


PAST 


(  mas. 
( /em. 


mas. 

fern, 
mas. 

fern, 
mas. 

fern, 
mas. 

fern, 
f  mas.} 

(/em.) 


fern, 
mas. 

fern, 
mas. 

fern. 


fern, 
mas. 

fern. 


214         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


INTENSIVE    FORM 

ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE. 


CONTINUED 

mas. 


CONTINUED 

mas. 


fern.        n7R?¥  fern. 

FINISHED 

mas.     "1pT0  fern. 


absol.  } 
constr.) 


/ 
|  m 


NOMINAL    VERB 


absol. 


constr 


. 


TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE. 


x 

(m. 

' 


up? 


/• 

m. 

/• 
m. 


g2 


mas.     "lp£) 

/em.     "!P9 
mas. 


CONJUGATIONS 

TRANSITIVE 

'mas. 


fern, 
mas. 

fern. 


215 


wanting 


PAST 


(mas.  j 

(/em.  ) 
mas. 

/em. 
mas.  } 

Jem.  ) 


rn?0 


npo 


216         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


EXCITATIVE  FORM 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.        TpfiO  mas. 


fern.     iTVp 


/em.     rnp?p 


FINISHED 


mas 


absol. 
constr. 


like  the  passive 


NOMINAL   VERB 

absol. 
constr 


} 


TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

(mas. 

1< 

(/em. 


em. 


T-£! 


em. 


(  mas. 

22 

w     {  fern. 


mas. 


mas. 

mas. 

fcm. 
mas. 

fern. 


CONJUGATIONS 

TRANSITIVE 


53 


mas. 


PAST 


/em. 
mas. 


/em. 


217 


wanting 


Dfnjn 


npan 


218        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

REFLEXIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 

ma.s\ 


g 

I  (/em. 


H  f  mas  .....  ^ 

|  <  >  wanting 

E  (  /em  .....  ) 


NOMINAL   VERB 

absol. 


absol.    \ 
constr.  ) 


§2 


CONJUGATIONS  219 

TRANSITIVE 

mas. 
fern, 
mas. 

fem.     nrrpsnrr 

PAST 


(mas.  I 
(fem.) 


>i       i  mas. 
I       (fern. 


C4 


a 


(mas. 

\ 

(  fem. 

(  mas.  } 
\  fem.  ) 


fem. 

mas.         DJ-npSnn 

/em.        p^psnrr 


mas.  \ 
fem.  ) 


3<  npDnn 


220        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Remarks  upon  the  Derivative  Conjugation. 

I  have  not  judged  it  necessary  to  change  the  typical 
verb  which  the  Hebraists  give  as  theme  for  this  conjuga- 
tion, because  this  verb  lends  itself  to  the  four  forms.  I 
am  going  to  present  only  its  etymological  meaning. 

The  primitive  root  pl£)  from  which  it  is  derived,  con- 
tains the  general  idea  of  an  alternating  movement  from 
one  place  to  another,  such  as  one  would  see,  for  example, 
in  a  pendulum.  This  idea  coming  out  more  distinctly  in 
the  verbalized  root,  signifies  to  pass  from  one  place  to  an- 
other, to  be  carried  here  and  there,  to  go  and  come.  Here 
is  clearly  observed  the  opposed  action  of  the  two  signs  £) 
and  p,  of  which  the  one  opens  the  centre  and  the  other 
cuts  and  designs  the  circumference.  This  root  is  joined, 
in  order  to  compose  the  word  of  which  we  are  speaking, 
to  the  root  "IK  or  "1*,  no  less  expressive,  which,  relating 
properly  to  the  forefinger  of  the  hand,  signifies  figurative- 
ly any  object  distinct  or  alone;  an  extract  from  abund- 
ance born  of  division :  for  this  abundance  is  expressed  in 
Hebrew  by  the  same  root  considered  under  the  contrary 
relation  H. 

Thus  these  two  roots  contracted  in  the  compound 
"Jp£),  develop  the  idea  of  a  movement  which  is  carried  al- 
ternately from  one  object  to  another:  it  is  an  examina- 
tion, an  exploration,  an  inspection,  a  visit,  a  census,  etc ; 
from  this  results  the  facultative  "lp.3/  to  be  inspecting, 
examining,  visiting;  and  the  nominal  verb  "Tipfi/  to  visit, 
to  examine,  to  inspect,  etc. 

Positive  Form. 

Active  movement.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the 
Chaldaic  punctuation,  following  all  the  inflection  of  the 
vulgar  pronunciation,  corrupts  very  often  the  etymology. 
Thus  it  suppresses  the  verbal  sign  1  of  the  continued  fac- 


CONJUGATIONS  221 

ultative,  and  substitutes  either  the  holem  or  the  kamez  as 
in  *l£p  appeasing,  expiating;  ^DN  grieving,  mourning, 
sorrowing. 

Sometimes  one  finds  this  same  facultative  terminated 
by  the  character  ',  to  form  a  kind  of  qualificative,  as  in 
HDN/  linking,  enchaining,  subjugating. 

I  shall  speak  no  further  of  the  feminine  changing  the 
final  character  H  to  fi  /  because  it  is  a  general  rule. 

The  nominal  assumes  quite  voluntarily  the  emphatic 
article  fl,  particularly  when  it  becomes  construct;  then 
the  Chaldaic  punctuation  again  suppresses  the  verbal  sign 
1'  as  in  nn^D*?,  to  annoint,  according  to  the  action  of 
annointing,  to  coat  over,  to  oil,  to  paint,  etc.  I  must  state 
here,  that  this  emphatic  article  can  be  added  to  nearly  all 
the  verbal  modifications,  but  chiefly  to  both  facultatives, 
to  the  nominal  and  the  transitive.  It  can  be  found  even 
in  the  future  and  the  past,  as  one  sees  it  in  rnpt^i*/  /  shall 
guard;  nfV"|^P>  he  lied. 

When  the  nominal  verb  begins  with  the  mother  vowel 
N  /  this  vowel  blends  with  the  affix  of  the  first  person  fut- 
ure, disappears  sometimes  in  the  second,  and  has  in  the 
third,  the  point  holem;  thus  f)iDN  to  gather,  makes 

I  shall  gather;  £]Dfi  or   ^b^r)  thou  shalt  gather; 

he  shall  gather:  thus,   'TDK    to  feed  oneself,  makes 

/  shall  feed  myself;  thus  "YiON  to  say,  makes  ION  /  shall 

say;  lONfi/  thou  shalt  say;  "ipfc1,  he  shall  say;  etc.  Some 

Hebraists  have  made  of  this  slight  anomaly  an  irregular 

conjugation  that  they  call  Quiescent  Pe  'Aleph. 

These  same  Hebraists  ready  to  multiply  the  difficul- 
ties, have  also  made  an  irregular  conjugation  of  the  verbs 
whose  final  character  3  or  H,  is  not  doubled  in  receiving 
the  future  ending  J"0,  or  the  affixes  of  the  past  T\>  fi*  fi/ 
1J>  Dfl ,  [£l;  but  is  blended  with  the  ending  of  the  affix,  being 
supplied  with  the  interior  point :  as  one  remarks  it  in 


222        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

to  suppress,  which  makes  W3,  /  suppressed,  fHD  thou 
suppressed;  etc.,  or  in  Jl^'/  to  inhabit,  which  makes 
,  you  shall  inhabit  (fern);  they  shall  inhabit; 
,  inhabit  (fern.);  133^',  we  shall  inhabit;  etc. 
There  is  nothing  perplexing  in  this.  The  only  real  diffi- 
culty results  from  the  change  of  the  character  J  into  fi  / 
in  the  verb  [IfO  /  to  give,  which  makes  '£1£0 ,  /  gave,  fl£U  / 
thou  gavest;  etc.,  I  have  already  spoken  of  this  anomaly 
in  treating  of  the  radical  conjugation. 

There  exists  a  more  considerable  irregularity  when  the 
verb  terminates  with  N  or  H,  and  concerning  which  it  is 
necessary  to  speak  more  fully.  But  as  this  anomaly  is  seen 
in  the  three  conjugations  I  shall  await  the  end  of  this 
chapter  to  take  up  the  subject. 

Passive  Movement.  The  Chaldaic  punctuation  some- 
times substitutes  the  sere  for  the  hirek  in  the  passive  nom- 
inal, as  can  be  seen  in  t|DNrt  the  action  of  being  gathered; 

or  in  <70Nn,  the  action  of  being  consummated.  One  ob- 
serves in  this  last  example  the  appearance  even  of  the  ho- 
lem.  It  is  useless  to  dwell  upon  a  thing  which  follows  step 
by  step  the  vulgar  pronunciation  and  which  yields  to  all 
its  caprices.  The  characteristic  sign  and  the  mother 
vowel,  these,  are  what  should  be  examined  with  attention. 
One  ought  to  be  concerned  with  the  point,  only  when  there 
is  no  other  means  of  discovering  the  meaning  of  a  word. 
Moreover,  it  is  necessary  to  remark  that  the  passive 
movement  can  become  reciprocal  and  even  superactive 
when  the  verb  is  not  used  in  the  active  movement.  Thus 
one  finds  *IPt^4  he  took  care  of  himself;  $2$$  he  swore; 
he  bore  witness,  etc. 

Intensive  Form. 

Ever  since  the  Chaldaic  punctuation  has,  as  I  have 
said,  suppressed  the  mother  vowels  *  and  1,  which  are 
placed  after  the  first  verbal  character,  the  one  in  the  ac- 


CONJUGATIONS  223 

tive  movement  and  the  other  in  the  passive,  there  remains, 
in  order  to  recognize  this  interesting  form,  whose  force 
supplies  the  adverbial  relation  very  rare  in  Hebrew,  only 
the  interior  point  of  the  second  character.  Therefore  the 
utmost  attention  must  be  given. 

All  derivative  verbs  of  two  roots  uncontracted  as  *?3?3  / 
to  achieve  wholly ,  "UTP,  to  rise  rapidly  in  the  air,  etc.; 
in  short,  all  verbs  that  the  Hebraists  name  quadriliteral, 
because  they  are,  in  effect,  composed  of  four  letters  in  the 
nominal  without  including  the  verbal  sign  1 ,  belong  to  this 
form  and  follow  it  in  its  modifications. 

Sometimes  the  point  hirek  which  accompanies  the 
first  character  of  the  verb  in  the  intensive  past,  is  replaced 
by  the  sere  as  in  ?p2  he  blessed  fervently. 

The  intensive  form  takes  place  in  the  active  move- 
ment with  as  much  method  as  without ;  sometimes  it  gives 
a  contrary  meaning  to  the  positive  verb:  thus 
the  action  of  sinning,  makes  NDH  he  sinned;  and 
he  is  purged  from  sin;  thus  6?  1*1^,  the  action  of  taking 
root,  makes  B^f.  it  took  root;  and  BH5P,  it  ivas  rooted 
up;  etc.  The  passive  movement  follows  nearly  the  same 
modifications. 

Excitative  Form. 

I  have  spoken  sufficiently  of  the  utility  and  usage 
of  this  form.  It  is  characterized  clearly  enough  to  be 
readily  recognized.  One  knows  that  its  principal  purpose 
is  to  transport  the  verbal  action  into  another  subject 
which  it  is  a  question  of  making  act;  however,  it  must  be 
noticed  that  when  the  positive  form  does  not  exist,  which 
sometimes  happens,  then  it  becomes  simply  declarative, 
according  to  the  active  or  passive  movement,  with  or  with- 
out method.  It  is  thus  that  one  finds  pHVn  /  ,he  was  de- 
clared just,  he  was  justified :  JW'"irT  he  was  declared  im- 
pious; |*pn/  he  awakened,  he  was  aroused,  he  made  re- 


224        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


pose  cease;    Tjt^n,  he  projected;        t^Jl    he  was   pro- 
jected; etc. 

Reflexive  Form. 

Besides  this  form  being  reciprocal  at  the  same  time 
as  reflexive,  that  is  to  say,  that  the  nominal  Ipfl^in,  can 
signify  alike,  to  visit  oneself,  to  visit  each  other,  or  to  be 
aroused  to  visit;  it  can  also,  according  to  circumstances, 
become  simulatory,  frequentative  and  even  intensive,  re- 
turning thus  to  its  proper  source;  for,  as  I  have  said,  this 
form  is  no  other  than  the  intensive,  to  which  was  added 
the  characteristic  syllable  DH.  One  finds  under  these  dif- 
ferent acceptations:  ^HW?  he  went  about,  he  walked  up 
and  down,  he  went  without  stopping;  ^jDflr?,  he  offered 
himself  to  administer  justice,  to  be  magistrate;  etc. 

I  have  spoken  of  the  syncope  and  metathesis  which 
substitute  the  syllable  flJl,  for  the  article  of  the  radical 
conjugation.  Its  repetition  is  unnecessary.  It  is  also  un- 
necessary for  me  to  repeat  that  the  emphatic  article  H 
is  placed  indifferently  for  all  the  verbal  modifications, 
and  that  the  Chaldaic  punctuation  varies, 


tOTfc   CONJUGATIONS  225 

§.  III. 

Compound  Radical  Conjugation  with  the 
Initial  Adjunction  ^ 

POSITIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 


CONTINUED 

mas. 
fern. 


CONTINUED 

mas. 

/em. 


FINISHED 


absoL 
constr. 


mas. 

/em. 

NOMINAL    VERB 

absol 
constr 


TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 


ncnn 


226         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

FUTURE 


§  2 


mas. 

/em. 
mas. 

/em. 


I/- 


m. 


•Ofcnn 
nfftfjn 


TRANSITIVE 

3$  < mas. 


«      (/em. 
mas. 

fern. 


PAST 


>{;: 

/• 


atrin 
Wjn 


CONJUGATIONS 
INTENSIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 


227 


CONTINUED 

mas. 


fern. 


absol. 
constr. 


mas. 
Jem. 

mas. 
Jem. 

mas. 
Jem. 


CONTINUED 

mas. 
fern. 


FINISHED 


mas 
fern 


'  >  wanting 


NOMINAL    VERB 

absol. 
constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

mas. 
Jem. 

TRANSITIVE 

mas. 


PAST 


Jem.  ) 

mas. 
Jem. 


wanting 


228        THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  EESTOKED 
EXCITATIVE  FORM 
FACULTATIVE 


CONTINUED 

mas. 


CONTINUED 

mas. 


/em. 


mas 
fern 


absol. 
constr. 


mas. 
fern. 

mas. 
fern. 


mas 
Jem. 


:} 


Jem. 
FINISHED 

like  the  passive 

NOMINAL    VERB 

absol. 
constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

mas. 
Jem. 

TRANSITIVE 

mas.  .  . 
Jem.  .  . 

PAST 

mas. 
Jem. 


wanting 


CONJUGATIONS  229 

REFLEXIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE  AND  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT  UNITED 
FACULTATIVE 

mas. 


(mas 

wanting 


NOMINAL    VERB 


constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

mas. 


fern. 

TRANSITIVE 

mas. 
/em. 

PAST 

mas. 
fern. 


230         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

REMARKS  ON  THE  COMPOUND  RADICAL 
CONJUGATION. 

Initial  Adjunction   » 
The  verb  presented  here  as  model  is  318P*.    I  am  about 


to  proceed  with  its  analysis.  The  root  3^  contains  the 
idea  of  a  return  to  a  place,  to  a  time,  to  a  condition  or  an 
action,  from  which  one  had  departed.  It  is  the  sign  of  the 
relative  movement  t^/  which  is  united  to  that  of  interior, 
central  and  generative  action  2  «  This  return,  being  deter- 
mined and  manifested  by  the  initial  adjunction  *  ,  becomes 
a  real  sojourn,  a  taking  possession  of,  an  occupation,  a 
habitation.  Thus  the  compound  radical  verb  DifiJ^  can 
signify,  according  to  circumstances,  the  action  of  dwelling, 
of  inhabiting,  of  sojourning,  of  taking  possession;  etc. 

Positive  Form. 

Active  Movement.  The  initial  adjunction  *  remains 
constant  in  the  two  facultatives,  in  the  absolute  nominal 
as  well  as  in  the  past  tense  ;  but  it  disappears  in  the  con- 
struct nominal,  in  the  transitive  and  in  the  future.  It- 
seems  indeed,  that  in  this  case  the  mother  vowel  *,  ought 
to  be  placed  between  the  first  and  second  character  of  the 
verbal  root,  and  that  one  should  say  rO't?/  the  action  of 
occupying;  3ft&$,  I  shall  occupy;  3'tP  '  ,  occupy;  etc.  But 
the  Chaldaic  punctuation  having  prevailed,  has  supplied 
it  with  the  segol  or  the  zere. 

The  simplicity  of  the  transitive  tense  in  this  conjuga- 
tion has  made  many  savants,  and  notably  Court  de  Gebe- 
lin,  think  that  it  should  be  regarded  as  the  first  of  the  ver- 
bal tenses.  Already  Leibnitz  who  felt  keenly  the  need  of 
etymological  researches,  had  seen  that  in  reality  the  tran- 
sitive is,  in  the  Teutonic  idioms,  the  simplest  of  the  tenses. 
President  Desbrosses  had  spoken  loudly  in  favour  of  this 
opinion,  and  abbe  Bergier  limited  the  whole  compass  of 


CONJUGATIONS  231 

Hebraic  verbs  to  it.  This  opinion,  which  is  not  in  the  least 
to  be  held  in  contempt,  finds  support  in  what  Du  Halde 
said  pertaining  to  the  tongue  of  the  Manchu  Tartars  whose 
verbs  appear  to  originate  from  the  transitive.  But  it  is 
evident  through  the  examination  of  the  radical  conjuga- 
tion, that  the  nominal  and  the  transitive  of  the  verb,  are 
au  fond  the  same  thing  in  Hebrew,  and  that  the  latter 
differs  not  from  the  former  except  by  a  modification  purely 
mental.  The  Hebrews  said  Dip  the  action  of  establishing 
and  Dip  establish.  The  purpose  of  the  speaker,  the  accent 
which  accompanied  it  could  alone  feel  the  difference.  The 
nominal  DiC^  differs  here  from  the  transitive  3t^/  only 
because  the  initial  adjunction  *  is  unable  to  resist  the  in- 
fluence of  the  modification.  In  the  verbs  where  this  mother 
vowel  is  not  a  simple  adjunction  but  a  sign,  the  transitive 
does  not  differ  from  the  nominal.  One  finds,  for  example, 
t^VV  possess,  and  B^i*V,  the  action  of  possessing. 

Verbs  similiar  to  the  one  just  cited,  where  the  sign 
is  not  an  adjunction,  belong  to  the  derivative  conjugation. 
It  is  only  a  matter  of  a  good  dictionary  to  distinguish 
them  carefully.  A  grammar  suffices  to  declare  their  exist- 
ence. 

Passive  movement.  The  initial  adjunctiton  *,  being 
replaced  in  this  movement  by  the  mother  vowel  1 ,  varies 
no  further,  and  gives  to  this  conjugation  all  the  strength 
of  the  derivative  conjugation. 

Intensive  Form. 

This  form  is  little  used  in  this  conjugation,  for  the 
reason  that  the  positive  form  itself  is  only  a  sort  of  inten- 
sity given  to  the  radical  verb  by  means  of  the  initial  ad- 
junction ».  When  by  chance,  it  is  found  employed,  one 
sees  that  this  adjunction  has  taken  all  the  force  of  a  sign 
and  remains  with  the  verb  to  which  it  is  united 


232         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
Excitative  Form. 

The  initial  adjunction  *,  is  replaced  in  the  active  move- 
ment by  the  intellectual  sign  \  and  in  the  passive  move- 
ment by  the  convertible  sign  1.  This  change  made,  the 
compound  radical  verb  varies  no  more,  and  follows  the 
course  of  the  derivative  verbs  as  it  has  followed  it  in  the 
preceding  form.  \f  it  sometimes  happens  that  this  change 
is  not  affected  as  in  3'P*J1  to  do  good,  the  verb  remains 
none  the  less  indivisible.  This  changes  nothing  in  its  con- 
jugation. 

Reflexive  Form. 

The  compound  radical  verb  continues  under  this  new 
form  to  demonstrate  all  the  strength  of  a  derivative  verb. 
The  only  remark,  somewhat  important,  that  I  have  to 
make,  is  relative  to  the  three  verbs  following,  which  re- 
place their  initial  adjunction  *,  by  the  convertible  sign  ^, 
become  consonant. 


to  understand  JTNW  to  be  understood 

J  to  prove,  to  argue          H21W  to  be  proven 
J  to  correct,  to  instruct     "IBJW  to  be  corrected 


CONJUGATIONS 


233 


§IV. 

Compound  Radical  Conjugation, 
with  the  Initial  Adjunction} 

POSITIVE  FORM 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.  t^'JIJ 


mas. 
fern. 

mas. 

alsoL 
constr. 


- 


fem. 


FINISHED 


/em. 


NOMINAL  VERB 

absol. 


constr. 

TEMPORAL   VERB 
FUTURE 


W» 

tftfl 

itfZfi 


m. 


- 


234         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

TRANSITIVE 


3 


m. 


m. 


g    K 

H  u 

(m. 

fee 


PAST 


CONJUGATIONS 
INTENSIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  .     PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.  £^P  mas. 

/em.         J~K?W  /em. 

FINISHED 


235 


mas ^ 

A™ ) 


like  the  passive 


NOMINAL  VERB. 

absol.  )  absol.  ) 

>       B^«  > 

constr.J  constr.) 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 


mas. 


mas.  \ 
fern.  ) 

mas. 
Jem. 


mas.  } 

> 
/«m.  ) 


TRANSITIVE 

mas 


Wanti 


anting 


PAST 


mas.  \ 

>  wty 

/«w».  ) 


236        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

EXCITATIVE  FORM 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT      .  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 


CONTINUED 

mas.  VfiXQ 


FACULTATIVE 

CONTINUED 

mas. 


/em. 


mas 
fem 


absol 
constr. 


Jem. 

mas. 
fem. 

mas. 
fem. 


Jem. 


FINISHED 


like  the  passive 


NOMINAL  VERB 

absol. 

constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

mas. 


fem. 


TRANSITIVE 

mas. 


PAST 

tJ'jin  mas. 


wanting 


CONJUGATIONS  237 

REFLEXIVE  FORM 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
£  (mas. 

8  (fem- 

H  (mas. 

|  <  J-  wanting 

E  (j" 

NOMINAL    VERB 

aftsoZ. 


aZwof.    •) 
constr.  j 


TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

mos. 


/em. 


TRANSITIVE 

mas. 


PAST 

mas 


mas.  "j 

V  'nt^nr 

fern.   ) 


238         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

REMARKS  ON  THE  COMPOUND  RADICAL 
CONJUGATION. 

INITIAL  ADJUNCTION   i. 

Here  is  the  somewhat  difficult  etymology  of  the  verb 
tTiJD,  which  I  give  as  type,  thus  following  the  usage  of 
the  Hebraists,  from  which  I  never  digress  without  the 
strongest  reasons. 

The  root  U  or  iTti,  offers  the  general  idea  of  some 
sort  of  detachment,  destined  to  contain  something  in  itself, 
as  a  sheath;  or  to  pass  through,  as  a  channel.  This  root 
united  to  the  sign  of  relative  movement,  offers  in  the  word 
BftJ,  the  most  restrained  idea  of  a  local  detachment,  of 
a  letting  go.  This  detachment  being  arrested  and  brought 
back  upon  itself  by  the  initial  adjunction  3,  will  signify 
an  approaching,  a  nearness;  and  the  compound  radical 
verb  tttfJU,  will  express  the  action  of  drawing  near,  of 
joining,  of  meeting,  of  approaching,  etc. 

POSITIVE  FORM. 

Active  movement.  The  initial  adjunction  J,  disap- 
pears in  the  construct  nominal,  in  the  future  and  tran- 
sitive, as  I  have  already  remarked  concerning  the  initial 
adjuction  *;  it  remains  the  same  in  the  two  facultatives,  in 
the  absolute  nominal  and  in  the  past.  I  infer  that  in  the 
original  tongue  of  Moses  and  before  the  Chaldaic  punc- 
tuation had  been  adopted,  it  was  the  sign  1  which  was 
placed  between  the  first  and  second  character  of  the  verbal 
root,  and  which  read  Mt^tJ,  the  action  of  approaching, 
&})$  /  shall  approach^  t^iJI  approach.  This  mother  vowel 
has  been  replaced  by  the  point  patah.  A  thing  which 
makes  this  inference  very  believable,  is  that  one  still  finds 
it  in  several  verbs  belonging  to  this  conjugation,  which 
preserve  this  sign  in  the  future,  such  as  *7lDJ  he  shall  fail, 
etc. 


CONJUGATIONS  239 

It  must  be  observed  that  in  the  verb  HIpJ,  to  take, 
to  draw  to  oneself,  the  nominal  sometimes  takes  the 
character  *?  in  place  of  the  initial  adjunction  J,  and  fol- 
lows the  course  of  the  compound  radical  conjugation, 
of  which  I  have  given  the  example;  so  that  one  finds  very 
often  nfi,  or  nilp_  the  action  of  taking,  tip**  I  shall  take, 
Hp  take,  etc. 

Passive  movement.  The  Chaldaic  punctuation  hav- 
ing suppressed  the  mother  vowel,  which  should  character- 
ize this  movement,  has  made  it  very  difficult  to  distinguish 
the  active  movement,  especially  in  the  past.  It  can  only 
be  distinguished  in  this  tense  by  the  meaning  of  the  phrase. 

INTENSIVE  FORM. 

This  form  is  but  little  used.  When  it  is  however,  it 
should  be  observed  that  the  initial  adjunction  J,  takes 
the  forre  of  a  sign  and  is  no  longer  separated  from  its  verb. 
It  acts  in  the  same  manner  as  the  initial  adjunction  ',  of 
which  I  have  spoken.  The  compound  radical  conjugation 
therefore,  does  not  differ  from  the  derivative  conjugation, 

EXCITATIVE  FORM. 

This  form  is  remarkable  in  both  movements,  because 
the  adjunctive  character  j,  disappears  wholly  and  is  only 
supplied  by  the  interior  point  placed  in  the  first  character 
of  the  root.  It  is  obvious  that  in  the  origin  of  the  Hebraic 
tongue,  the  compound  radical  conjugation  differed  here 
from  the  radical  conjugation,  only  by  the  interior  point 
of  which  I  have  spoken,  and  that  the  mother  vowel  ',  was 
placed  between  the  two  radical  characters  in  the  active 
movement;  whereas  the  convertible  sign  1,  was  shown 
in  front  of  the  first  radical  character  in  the  passive  move- 
ment. One  should  say  tPMUt,  I  shall  make  approach;  as 
one  finds  tP'*jn  to  make  approach,  tPJIK  /  shall  be  ex- 
cited to  approach;  as  one  finds  tPJin,  the  action  of  being 


240        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

excited  to  approach;  but  almost  invariably  the  Chal- 
daic  punctuation  has  replaced  these  mother  vowels 
by  tjie  hirek  or  the  zere,  in  the  active  movement,  and  by 
the  kibbus  in  the  passive  movement. 

REFLEXIVE  FORM 

The  initial  adjunction  3,  never  being  separated  from 
the  root,  reappearing  in  this  form,  gives  it  the  character 
of  a  derivative  verb. 


CONJUGATIONS  241 

§  V. 

Compound  Radical  Conjugation  with  the 
Terminative  Adjunction 

POSITIVE  FORM 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED  CONTINUED 


mas. 


FINISHED 

Mp  fern.       HMp 


NOMINAL 

VERB 

absol               DID 

a&8( 

constr.            DIDp 

con* 

TEMPORAL  VERB 

FUTURE 

3 

'{/*}    "" 

(m.             DlDfl 

C3 
ij 

I 
1< 

i 

C5 

9  < 

0 

2< 

|  y.            *D  1DJT1 

3 

r 

53 

s|m'           .    T 

3< 

i 

242        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

TEMPORAL   VERB.  FUTURE 


•a 


(mas. 

(/em. 
(mas. 

(/em. 


(m. 

i 


I.;] 


131D£         ^ 

ru»3pn      g 
*3D* 


TRANSITIVE 


DID 


2 


mas. 


(' 

32^ 
^      (/ 


PAST 


nso 

HJ13P 


•op 


V- 


H3DJ 


CONJUGATIONS 
INTENSIVE  FORM 


243 


ACTIVE  MOVEMENT 


PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 


FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.        25P  mas. 


/em. 


ahol, 
constr. 


mas.  \ 
fern.) 


fern. 


FINISHED 


mas J 

>  like  the  passive 

NOMINAL  VERB 

absol. 


constr. 


TEMPORAL  VERB 
FINISHED 


mas.  J 

mas. 

fern.  ) 

fern. 

TRANSITIVE 

mas. 

DD1D                      mas.  .  .  . 

fern. 

OD1D                      fem  

PAST 


mas. 
/cm. 


331D 


wanting 


244        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

EXCITATIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE   MOVEMENT  PASSIVE   MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.  2DD  mas. 

fern.         ropo  /em. 

FINISHED 

mas 


\ 
> 
) 


like  the  passive 


NOMINAL  VEEB 

absol.  absol. 


constr.  )  constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 


mas. 
fern. 


mas.  "j 
/em.) 


TRANSITIVE 

3D»7  mas. 

wanting 
fern.  Oprr  /em. 


PAST 


mas.  I  ma».  j 

v     vrftprr  v  »ni3pin 

/em.  )  /em.  ) 


CONJUGATIONS  245 

REFLEXIVE  FORM 
ACTIVE  AND  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT  UNITED 

FACULTATIVE 


zj  ( mas. 

IV-. » 


H  f  mas 1 

g  <  >  wanting 

E  l/em j 

NOMINAL    VERB 

absol. 


constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

was.  v 
fem. 

TRANSITIVE 

mas. 


PAST 


mew.  ) 

y 

fem.   ) 


246         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

REMARKS  ON  THE  COMPOUND  RADICAL 
CONJUGATION 

TERMINATIVE  ADJUNCTION 

This  conjugation  is,  in  general,  only  a  modification  of 
the  radical  conjugation.  It  seems  also  that  this  may  be 
the  intensive  form  represented  by  the  verb  DDlp,  for  ex- 
ample, which  has  been  given  as  positive  form,  so  that  the 
following  forms  may  have  greater  energy. 

The  root  3D,  from  which  is  derived  the  compound 
radical  verb  D31D,  which  I  give  here  as  type  following 
the  Hebraists,  being  formed  from  the  sign  of  interior  and 
central  action  2,  and  from  the  sign  of  circular  movement 
D  expresses  necessarily  any  kind  of  movement  which 
operates  around  a  centre.  The  duplication  of  the  last 
character  3,  in  giving  more  force  to  the  central  point, 
tends  to  bring  back  the  circumference  D,  and  consequent- 
ly to  intensify  the  action  of  turning,  of  closing  in  turning, 
of  enveloping,  of  surrounding  in  fact,  expressed  by  the 
Terb  in  question. 

POSITIVE  FOBM 

Active  movement.  The  final  character  2 ,  which  has 
been  doubled  to  form  the  compound  radical  verb^lD^ 
is  only  found  in  the  two  facultatives.  It  disappears  in  all 
the  rest  of  the  conjugation,  which  is,  in  substance,  only 
the  radical  conjugation  according  to  the  intensive  form, 
with  a  few  slight  differences  brought  about  by  the  Chaldaic 
punctuation.  The  sole  mark  by  which  one  can  distinguish 
it,  is  the  interior  point  placed  in  the  second  character  of 
the  verbal  root,  to  indicate  the  prolonged  accent  which 
resulted  no  doubt  from  the  double  consonant. 

Passive  movement.  This  movement  experiences  a 
great  variation  in  the  vowel  point.  The  facultatives  and 
the  nominals  are  often  found  marked  by  the  zere,  as  in 
DOJ,  becoming  dissolved,  falling  into  dissolution;  DDfl 


CONJUGATIONS  247 


to  be  dissolved,  liquified  ;?t3il  to  be  profaned,  divulged; 
etc.  It  is  necessary  in  general,  to  be  distrustful  of  the 
punctuation  and  to  devote  oneself  to  the  meaning 

INTENSIVE  FORM 

This  form  differs  from  the  intensive  radical  only  in 
this;  that  the  Chaldaic  punctuation  has  replaced  almost 
uniformly  the  sign  1,  by  the  point  holcm.  Care  must  be 
taken,  before  giving  it  a  signification,  to  examine  well  the 
final  character  which  is  doubled;  for  it  is  upon  it  alone 
that  this  signification  depends. 

EXCITATIVE  FORM 

Again  here  the  excitative  radical  form,  (exception 
being  made  of  the  sign  *,  )  is  replaced  in  the  active  move- 
ment by  the  point  sere.  The  passive  movement  is  found 
a  little  more  characterized  by  the  mother  vowel  1,  which 
one  finds  added  to  the  verbal  root  in  some  persons  of  the 
past. 

REFLEXIVE  FORM 

The  characteristic  syllable  fin,  is  simply  added  to 
the  intensive  form,  as  we  have  already  remarked  in  the 
radical  conjugation;  but  here  it  undergoes  metathesis: 
that  is  to  say,  when  placed  before  a  verb  which  begins 
with  the  character  D,  the  fi  must  be  transferred  to  fol- 
low this  same  character,  in  the  same  manner  as  one  sees 
it  in  the  nominal,  where  instead  of  reading  DDlDJin  one 
reads  33lnDfl. 

§  VI. 

IRREGULARITIES  IN  THE  THREE  CONJUGATIONS 

I  have  already  spoken  of  the  trifling  anomalies  which 
are  found  in  verbs  beginning  with  the  character  N,  or  end- 
ing with  the  characters  J  or  fi. 

Verbs  of  the  three  conjugations  can  be  terminated 


248         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

with  the  mother  vowels  N  or  H,  and  in  this  case  they 
undergo  some  variations  in  their  course. 

When  it  is  the  vowel  K,  which  constitutes  the  final 
character  of  any  verb  whatever,  as  in  the  radical  MD 
to  come;  the  compound NTO ,  to  create;  the  compound 
radical  N1VJ,  to  appear;  or  NiB^,  to  raise;  this  vowel 
becomes  ordinarily  mute  as  to  pronunciation,  and  is  not 
marked  with  the  Chaldaic  point.  Nevertheless,  as  it  re- 
mains in  the  different  verbal  forms,  the  irregularity  which 
results  from  its  lack  of  pronunciation  is  not  perceptible, 
and  should  be  no  obstacle  to  the  one  who  studies  Hebrew 
only  to  understand  and  to  translate  it.  The  rabbis  alone, 
who  still  cantillate  this  extinct  tongue,  make  a  particular 
conjugation  of  this  irregularity. 

There  is  no  difficulty  for  us  to  know  that  the  radical 
NO,  the  action  of  coming,  follows  the  radical  conjuga- 
tion, 

I  shall  come  'flN?  I  came 

thou  wilt  come  flNJ  thou  earnest 

N13*     he  will  come  K3  he  came 

etc.  etc. 

or  that  the  compound  Nl"tl»  or  ^^9>  the  action  of  creat- 
ing, is  conjugated  in  a  like  manner. 

or  Nl-0tf     I  shall  create       W}?     I  created 

thou  wilt  create    HJOD     thou  createdst 
he  will  create          *TQ     he  created 

etc.  etc. 

But  when  it  is  the  vowel  H  which  constitutes  the 
final  character  of  the  verb,  then  the  difficulty  becomes 
considerable,  for  this  reason.  This  vowel  not  only  remains 
mute,  but  disappears  or  is  sometimes  changed  to  another 
vowel;  so  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  recognize  the 


CONJUGATIONS  249 

verb,  if  one  had  not  a  model  to  which  it  might  be  related. 
Therefore  I  shall  present  here  this  model,  taking  for  type 
the  nominal  Hl^JI  or  fiVW,  and  giving  the  etymological 
analysis. 

This  verb  belongs  to  the  rootU,  of  which  I  spoke  in 
the  case  of  the  compound  radical  verb  t&flU,  and  which 
contains  the  idea  of  some  sort  of  detachment.  This  root, 
united  to  the  sign  of  expansive  movement  *?,  expresses  as 
verb,  the  action  of  being  released  from  a  place,  or  from 
a  veil,  a  vestment,  a  covering;  the  action  of  being  shown 
uncovered,  revealed,  released ;  being  set  at  liberty ;  etc. 

It  must  be  observed  that  the  greater  part  of  the  verbs 
belonging  to  the  three  regular  conjugations  also  receive 
modifications  from  what  I  call  the  irregular  conjugation, 
according  as  they  are  terminated  with  the  character  H, 
cither  as  radical,  derivative  or  compound  radical  verbs. 
Nevertheless  there  are  some  verbs  "which  terminate 
in  this  same  character  M ,  ( marked  with  the  interior  point 
to  distinguish  it,)  which  are  regular;  that  is  to  say,  which 
follow  the  derivative  conjugation  to  which  they  belong. 
These  verbs  are  the  four  following : 

the  action  of  excelling,  of  surpassing,   of 

exalting 

the  action  of  languidly  desiring,  of  languish- 
ing 

the  action  of  emitting,  or  of  reflecting  light 
the  action  of  being  astonished  by  its  6clat, 
of  being  dazzled. 


250         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


/. 
(». 

'V 


- 


§  VI. 
IRREGULAR  CONJUGATIONS 

POSITIVE  FORM 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 

CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.  ffTfo  mas. 

fem. 

FINISHED 

mas.  "I 


absol. 
constr. 


fem. 

NOMINAL    VERB 


n 


absol. 
nfyj  constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

i 


iy. 

2f"" 

V- 

m, 
/• 


CONJUGATIONS 

TRANSITIVE 


(  mas. 

52(/em. 
(mas. 

<2(/em. 


(fem. 
(  mas. 

(/em. 


PAST 


- 


{:} 


e 


251 


ton 


252        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

INTENSIVE    FORM 
ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 

CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.  •^^0  mas. 

/em.  *^%yp  /em. 

FINISHED 


alsol 
constr. 


mas.  i 
/em.  ) 

mas. 
fern. 

mas.  1 
/em.) 


ma* 1  like  the  passive 

/em ; 

NOMINAL   VERB 

absol. 
constr. 


TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

mas. 
/em. 

TRANSITIVE 

rfaj  mas-  •  •  • 


fe™> } 


wanting 


PAST 


mas. 
fern. 


CONJUGATIONS  253 

EXCITATIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE  MOVEMENT  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT 

FACULTATIVE 
CONTINUED  CONTINUED 

mas.  rtyO  mas. 

/em.  ftyO  fern. 

FINISHED 

mas  } 

'  \  like  the  passive 
fern  ......  j 

NOMINAL   VERB 

absol.  rfryi  absol 

constr.        nl^D  corwir. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 

mas.  \ 

rift* 


TRANSITIVE 

mas.          Hn  ma* 


wantiiv 


PAST 

mas.  \  mas. 


mas.  \ 

\ 

fem.  } 


254        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
REFLEXIVE  FORM 

ACTIVE  AND  PASSIVE  MOVEMENT  UNITED 
FACULTATIVE 

52;  (mas. 


I  fern. 

) 

wanting 


NOMINAL  VEEB 

absol 


..} 


constr. 

TEMPORAL  VERB 
FUTURE 


mas.  1 

> 

/em.  ) 


TRANSITIVE 


mas.  "I 
/em.  j 

.  j 

•    mas.  C 
Jem.  \ 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  VERBS  255 

CHAPTER  X. 

CONSTRUCTION   OF   VERBS:  ADVERBIAL  RELA- 
TIONS: PARAGOGIC  CHARACTERS: 
CONCLUSION 

§  I. 
UNION  OF  VERBS  WITH  VERBAL  AFFIXES 

I  call  the  Construction  of  Verbs,  their  union  with 
the  verbal  affixes.  I  have  already  shown  the  manner  in 
which  the  nominal  affixes  are  united  to  nouns.  It  remains 
for  me  to  indicate  here  the  laws  which  follow  the  verbal 
affixes  when  united  to  verbs. 

These  laws,  if  we  omit  the  petty  variations  of  the 
vowel  points,  can  be  reduced  to  this  sole  rule,  namely; 
every  time  that  any  verbal  modification  whatsoever,  re- 
ceives an  affix,  it  receives  it  by  being  constructed  with  it : 
that  is  to  say,  that  if  this  modification,  whatever  it  may 
be,  has  a  construct,  it  employs  it  in  this  case. 

Now  let  us  glance  rapidly  over  all  the  verbal  mod- 
ifications according  to  the  rank  that  they  occupy  in  the 
table  of  conjugations. 

FACULTATIVES 

The  facultatives  belong  to  nouns  with  which  they 
form  a  distinct  class.  When  they  receive  the  verbal  affi± 
it  is  after  the  manner  of  nouns. 

visiting  me  (him) 

"         «  (them,  m.) 

"  (her) 

«  (them,/.) 

"          "  (him) 

"         "  (them,  m.) 

«         "  (her) 

"  (them,  /.) 


256         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Those  facultatives  of  the  irregular  conjugation  which 
terminate  in  the  character  H,  lose  it  in  the  construct 
state. 

making  me  (him) 
seeing  me   (him) 
teaching  thee   (him) 
D"p    domineering  them,   m.   (him) 
•JT)  «  them,  /.   (him) 

Hp'pp    teaching  me   (them) 

NOMINAL  VEBB 

I  have  already  given  the  nominal  verb  united  to  the 
nominal  and  verbal  affixes.  I  have  been  careful,  in  giving 
the  table  of  the  different  conjugations,  to  indicate  always 
the  nominal  construct,  when  this  construct  is  distin- 
guished from  the  absolute  nominal.  So  that  one  might 
with  a  little  attention  recognize  easily  any  \erb  what- 
soever, by  the  nominal  when  it  has  the  affix.  Here  are, 
besides,  some  examples  to  fix  the  ideas  in  this  respect 
and  to  accustom  the  reader  to  the  varieties  of  the  punc- 
tuation. 

*Qj3  or  'pip    the  action  of  establishing  myself;  my 

establishment 
*DH    the  action  of  perfecting  myself;  my 

perfection 

the  action  of  restoring  myself;  my  re- 
turn, resurrection 

the  action  of  visiting  myself ;  of  exam- 
ining myself;  my  examination 
the  action  of  being  visited  by  another; 

his  visit 

the  action   of  visiting  myself,  of  in- 
specting myself  diligently 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  VERBS  257 


the   action   of    making   her   visit,   of 

arousing  her  to  visit 
tne  action  of  occupying,  of  inhabiting, 

of  dwelling 

flfT]1?    the  action  of  bringing  forth    (/em) 
the  action  of  thy  approaching   (mas)  ; 

thy  approach 
the  action  of  giving  myself 


The  emphatic  article   H,  when  added  to  a  nominal, 
is  changed  to  D,  following  the  rules  of  the  construct  state. 
the  action  of  loving  him  greatly 
the  action  of  pressing  them  closely 
the  action  of  consecrating  me,  of  anointing 

me  with  holy  oil 

The  irregular  conjugation  loses  sometimes  the  char- 
acter H  but  more  often  changes  it  to  fi. 


258         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
TEMPORAL  VERB 

FUTUEE 

The  sign  1  which  is  in  the  greater  part  of  the  verbal 
modifications  of  the  future,  is  lost  in  the  construct  state. 
The  final  character  does  not  change  in  the  three  regular 
conjugations.  I  shall  now  present  in  its  entirety,  one  of 
the  persons  of  the  future,  united  to  the  verbal  affixes,  tak- 
ing my  example  from  the  derivative  conjugation  as  the 
most  used. 


02 

mas. 

•    IT  =   I    he  will  visit 

g 

K 

fem,. 

HD5>  (           me 

1 

mas. 

T1R?!)   he  will  visit 

a 

fem. 

TtjXPt        thee 

p 
g 

mas. 

irrp9»     or1lp£)M    he 

will  visit  him 

00 

fem. 

njnpd'.   orPnpfiM     he 

will  visit  her 

will  visit 


he 


he  will  visit 
tern.       |.«|#r;  them 

It  must  be  observed  that  the  affix  1  is  changed  quite 
frequently  to  VT,  and  usually  one  finds  irnpjp*  instead 

In  the  irregular  conjugation,  the  temporal  modifica- 
tions of  the  future  which  terminate  in  the  character  j"T. 
lose  this  character  in  being  constructed.  Here  are  some 
examples,  in  which  I  have  compared  designedly  these  ir- 
regularities and  some  others  of  little  importance. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  VERBS  259 

he  will  surround  him 

thou  wilt  surround  me 

thou  wilt  establish  me 

he  will  see  me 

he  will  love  me 

he  will  crown  me  with  blessings 

he  will  separate  me  with  care 

he  will  make  us  surrounded 

he  will  bless  him  fervently 

he  will  see  us 

she  will  see  me 

he  will  fashion  us 

he  will  make  me  dwell 

I  will  bless  them 
/ 
TRANSITIVE 

The  transitive  modifications  are  very  similar  to  those 
of  the  future:  that  is  to  say  that  the  verbal  sign  1  dis- 
appears in  the  construct  state.  The  final  character  re- 
mains mute. 


visit  me  ( mas. )  \3np|£)  visit  us 

visit  me  (fern.)  UI^Nt^  ask  us 

hear  me  D#l  give  them 

gladden  me  well  fin  know  them 

accord  me  grace  ^Q'pr|  make  us  established 

lead  me  ^¥3p  gather  us 

curse  him  DIpH  consider  them 


260         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

PAST 

In  the  temporal  modifications  of  the  past,  the  first 
person  singular  and  plural,  the  second  and  third  person 
masculine  singular,  and  the  third  person  of  the  plural, 
change  only  the  vowel  point  in  being  constructed  with 
the  affixes :  but  the  second  and  third  person  of  the  feminine 
singular,  and  the  second  of  the  masculine  and  feminine 
plural,  change  the  final  character;  as: 

conatr. 
I    visited 


jem. 
(mas. 


2  \  Hhou 

I/em.        flips 


(mas. 
[fem. 


TRj?   he 
she 


( mas.  I 

l<  >    U"Tpd  Uir>S  we 

(fem.  ) 
mas.     DJrnp9  1 


2  t 
fem. 

mas. 


3 1          }     HpS  HpT5  they   " 

(fem.  l 


wnp?) 


with  affix 
I    visited    thee       ^"Oj??  sne  visited  him 

DU'lpJ?  we        "       them 

thou   "    me 

WHp$  you      "       us 

he       "     her  P"1p$  they     "       them 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  VERBS  261 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  dwell  upon  each  of  these 
modifications  in  particular.  I  shall  conclude  by  giving 
some  examples  taken  from  different  forms  and  from  dif- 
ferent conjugations. 

1"lpQ      he  visited  him  diligently 
he  cursed  her  violently 
I  encircled  thee  well 
I  confirm  thee  much 
thou  madest  us  descend 
thou  madest  us  rise 
he  made  himself  scattered 
he  made  himself  known 
he  made  us  silent 
he  made  them  return 
he  placed  thee 
she  placed  him 
they  were  placed 
he  called  him 
he  made  him 
thou  revealedst  him 
I  subdued  him 
thou  foundedst  her 
she  perverted  thee 
I  perceived  thee 
etc. 


262        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

§  II. 
ADVERBIAL  RELATIONS 

In  Chapter  IV  of  this  Grammar,  I  have  stated  that 
the  Relation  ought  to  be  considered  under  three  connec- 
tions, according  to  the  part  of  speech  with  which  it  pre- 
serves the  most  analogy.  I  have  called  designative  rela- 
tion, that  which  appears  to  me  to  belong  most  expressly 
to  the  sign,  and  I  have  treated  it  under  the  name  of  article: 
I  have  then  named  nominal  relation,  that  which  has  ap- 
peared to  me  to  replace  more  especially  the  noun  and  to 
act  in  its  absence,  and  I  have,  called  it  pronoun:  now  this 
latter  is  what  I  qualify  by  the  name  of  adverbial  relation, 
because  it  seems  to  form  a  sort  of  bond  between  the  noun 
and  the  verb,  and  without  being  either  the  one  or  the 
other,  to  participate  equally  in  both.  I  shall  treat  of  this 
last  kind  of  relation  under  the  name  of  adverb. 

I  beg  my  reader  to  remember  that  I  do  not  confound 
the  adverb  with  the  modificative.  The  latter  modifies  the 
verbal  action  and  gives  it  the  colour  of  the  noun  by  means 
of  the  qualificative :  the  adverb  directs  it  and  indicates 
its  use.  Thus,  gently,  strongly,  obediently  are  modifica- 
tives;  they  indicate  that  the  action  is  done  in  a  manner, 
gentle,  strong,  obedient:  above,  below,  before,  after,  are 
adverbs :  they  show  the  direction  of  the  action  relative 
to  things,  persons,  time,  place,  number  or  measure. 

When  the  modern  grammarians  have  said,  in  speak- 
ing of  adverbs  such  as  those  just  cited,  that  they  were 
indeclinable,  I  fear  that  following  Latin  forms,  they  may 
be  mistaken  in  this  as  in  many  other  things.  I  know 
well  that  the  designative  relation,  for  example,  the  article 
which  inflects  the  noun,  could  not  be  inflected,  unless 
there  existed  a  new  article  for  this  use;  I  know  well  that 
the  modificative  could  not  be  inflected  either,  since  it 
contains  an  implied  action  which  can  only  be  developed 
by  the  verb;  but  I  also  know  that  an  adverbial  relation, 
a  veritable  relation  becoming  a  noun  by  a  simple  deduc- 
tion of  thought,  must  be  subject  to  inflection.  I  can  go 


ADVERBIAL  RELATIONS  263 

further.  I  say  that  a  designative  relation,  an  article,  if 
it  is  made  absolute,  will  experience  a  sort  of  inflection. 
Consider  the  adverbs  below,  above,  before,  after,  today, 
tomorrow,  etc.,  all  these  are  capable  of  being  inflected  to 
a  certain  point.  Does  not  one  say :  bring  that  from  below 
above;  place  yourself  before;  speak  only  after  your  opin- 
ion; consider  the  usages  of  today;  think  of  tomorrow,  etc., 
etc.? 

Nearly  all  the  adverbial  relations  of  the  Hebraic 
tongue  receive  the  articles  and  lend  themselves  to  their 
movements.  Many  even  have  number  and  gender,  as  can 
be  noticed  among  those  here  cited. 

ADVERBS  OF  PLACE 
I  iTfc  J  *N     where?  where 
JNiO'tf  {  fiO'N     where?  wherein 
*  HO  t  NO     here,  in  this  place 
J  Dt^     there,  in  that  place 
I  HOP  *  100     hence,  whence 
:  pn     outside 

inside,  within 
beyond 

between,  among 
upon,  on  high 
\Sf?  :  D';£)  :  »JD     in  front  of,  facing 

J  niDO     down,  beneath 
:  nnri£  :  nrjfl     below,  from  under 
after,  behind 
round  about 
afar  off  etc. 


264         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


OF  TIME 

:  »rtD     when,  how  long 
:  TV     until 
then 

now 

again 

continually 
before 
today 

:  "1HD     tomorrow,  yesterday 
from  before 
quickly 
etc. 


J  D"jP 
J  D£i» 


OF  NUMBER 
how  much  more? 
one,  first 
two,  second 
three 
four 

five 


:  WU?    six 

seven 
eight 
nine 
ten 


OP  MEASURE 


J  Tj*N    how? 
:  p    thus 
:  ^     enough 
a  little 


very  much 
in  vain 
J  '*??     nothing 
etc. 


ADVERBIAL  RELATIONS  265 

AFFIRMATIVE  ADVERBS 

J  [ON     amen,  verily  :  T]N     wholly 

J  p  :  rO     thus,  so  etc. 

SUSPENSIVE  AND  INTERROGATIVE 
perhaps  :  DNH  J  DN     is  it? 

why  :|0     lest 

because  J  l^TTO     therefore 

on  account  of  etc. 

NEGATIVES 

^     not,  no  more        :  *?$  !  }»8  nothing 

N1?     no,  not  J  Dfjn  empty 

^3     no,  not  efc. 

It  is  easy  to  see  in  glancing  through  these  adverbial 
relations  that  their  purpose  is,  as  I  have  said,  to  show 
the  employment  of  the  action,  its  direction,  its  measure, 
its  presence  or  its  absence;  and  not  to  modify  it.  The 
action  is  modified  by  the  modificative  nouns.  In  the 
tongues  where  few  nouns  exist  as  in  Hebrew  for  example, 
then  the  verbal  form  assists.  This  form  which  I  have 
called  intensive,  lends  itself  to  the  intention  of  the  writer, 
receives  the  movement  of  the  sentence  and  gives  to  the 
verb  the  colour  of  the  circumstance.  This  is  what  an  in- 
telligent translator  ought  never  to  lose  sight  of  in  the 
idioms  of  the  Orient. 

The  reader  who  follows  with  close  attention  the  prog- 
ress of  my  grammatical  ideas,  should  perceive  that  after 
having  traversed  the  circle  of  the  developments  of  speech, 
under  the  different  modifications  of  the  noun  and  the  verb, 
we  return  to  the  sign  from  which  we  started :  for  the  ad- 
verbial relation  with  which  we  are  at  the  moment  oc- 
cupied, differs  little  from  the  designative  relation  and  even 


266         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

mingles  with  it  in  many  common  expressions.  I  have  al- 
ready indicated  this  analogy,  so  that  one  can  observe, 
when  the  time  comes,  the  point  where  the  circle  of  speech 
returning  to  itself,  unites  its  elements. 

This  point  merits  attention.  It  exists  between  the 
affirmative  and  negative  adverb;  between  yes  and  no,  T]N 
and  *7tf  or  PO  and  N1? :  the  substance  and  the  verb :  it 
can  have  nothing  beyond.  Whoever  would  reflect  well 
upon  the  force  of  these  two  expressions,  would  see  that 
they  contain  not  alone  the  essence  of  speech  but  that  of 
the  universe,  and  that  it  is  only  by  affirming  or  denying, 
wishing  or  not  wishing,  passing  from  nothingness  to  being 
or  from  being  to  nothingness,  that  the  sign  is  modified, 
that  speech  is  born,  that  intelligence  is  unfolded,  that 
nature,  that  the  universe  moves  toward,  its  eternal  goal. 

I  shall  not  dwell  upon  such  speculations.  I  feel  that 
to  limit  every  tongue  to  two  elementary  expressions,  would 
be  too  great  a  boldness  in  the  state  of  our  present  gram- 
matical knowledge.  The  mind  encumbered  with  a  multi- 
tude of  words  would  hardly  conceive  a  truth  of  this  nature 
and  would  vainly  attempt  to  bring  back  to  elements  so 
simple,  a  thing  which  appears  to  it  so  complicated. 

But  it  can,  however,  be  understood  that  the  adverbial 
affirmation  exists  by  itself  in  an  absolute,  independent 
manner,  contained  in  the  verb  whose  essence  it  consti- 
tutes: for  every  verb  is  affirmative:  the  negation  is  only 
its  absence  or  its  opposition.  This  is  why,  in  any  tongue 
whatsoever,  to  announce  a  verb  is  to  affirm  :  to  destroy  it  is 
to  deny. 

Sometimes  without  entirely  destroying  the  verb  one 
suspends  the  effect:  then  he  interrogates.  The  Hebrew 
possesses  two  adverbial  relations  to  illustrate  this  modifi- 
cation of  speech :  DK  and  DNH  :  it  could  be  rendered 
by  is  it?  but  its  usage  is  quite  rare.  The  interrogation 
appears  to  have  occurred  most  commonly  in  the  tongue 
of  Moses,  as  it  still  occurs  among  most  of  the  meridional 
peoples :  that  is  to  say,  by  means  of  the  accent  of  the  voice. 


ADVERBIAL  RELATIONS 


267 


It  indicates  the  meaning  of  the  phrase.'  Sometimes,  as 
I  have  said,  the  determinative  article  H,  takes  an  inter- 
rogative force. 

The  negation  is  expressed  by  means  of  the  many  ad- 
verbial relations  that  I  have  already  given.  Those  most 
in  use  are  N1?  and  p5*.  The  former  expresses  cessation, 
opposition,  defense:  the  latter,  absence  and  nothingness. 
These  merit  very  particular  attention. 

Besides,  all  the  adverbial  relations  without  exception, 
are  connected  with  the  nominal  and  verbal  affixes,  and 
often  form  with  them  ellipses  of  great  force.  I  am  about 
to  give  some  of  these  Hebraisms  interpreting  word-for- 
word  when  necessary. 

JDJ*  J  VN  where- of  -  him?  where-of- 
them?  (where  is  he,  where 
are  they?) 

behind-thee 


:  DOT  : 


:  D2Htf3 


under  me  (in  my  power) 

between  us  and  between 
thee:  between  them 

before  me,  before  thee,  be- 
fore us 

around  me,  around  you, 
around  them 

again  us  (we  are  again) 
what!  again  them?  (are 
they  again?) 

a  man  between  (wavering 
between  two  parts) 

toward  the  midst  of  the 
deep  (toward  the  centre  of 
ethereal  spaces,  of  celestial 
spheres,  of  worlds) 


268        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


J  D'TpI?  riii*5D  from  between  the  cheru- 
bims  (from  the  midst  of 
that  which  represents  the 
manifold  forces) 


INTERROGATION 

nO    what   him-to   her?     (what 
did  he  say  to  her?) 

HO     what  sin  —  mine?  (what  is 
my  sin?) 

'0  W-ntf  of  whom  the  ox  I  have 
taken?  (whose  is  the  ox 
that  I  have  taken? 

»0  t7)W'?  in  Sheol  who  will  point  out 
to  thee?  (who  will  show 
thee?) 

OTO'ISI  and-the-son-of  Adam  thus 
shalt  thou  -  visit  -  him? 
(  shalt  thou  visit  him  thus, 
the  son  of  Adam?) 

J  13*7  |1"1N  *p     who  is  the  Lord  of  us? 

shall  I  lift  mine  eyes  unto 
these  hills? 

O    whence  will  come  help  to 
me? 

DJ<    dost  thou  consider  the  in- 
iquities,  Jah! 

NEGATION 

thou  shalt  add  no  more 

thou    shalt    act    no    more 

vindictively 

he  shall  not  see 


ADVERBIAL  RELATIONS  269 


I  commanded  thee  not  to 
eat 

of  nothing  which...  because 
not 

he  found  no  help 
*  Dnn&t  D'Ji1?^  ^  iTi'P'Ni'?    not     shall-there-be-for-thee 

other  Gods  (there  shall 
exist  no  other  Gods  for 
thee  ) 

nt^Jfn  X*?     thou    shalt    not   make   for 
thee  any  image 

D'Oil  -liy  -n»n.»  •  N^l  and  -  there  shall  not  be 
again  the  waters  of  deluge, 
(the  waters  of  deluge  shall 
no  more  be  raised  ) 

!  1fi&  filDP]  rfyzfy    not  to  wound  him 
I  knew  it  not 
and  he  is  not 

and  thou  art  not :  and  they 
are  not 

nothing  being  spirit  in  the- 
mouth-to-them 
(there  was  nothing  spirit- 
ual in  their  mouth) 

for  nothing  of  the  king 
being  able  with  you  thing. 
( for  there  is  nothing  of  the 
king  which  may  be  some- 
thing with  you) 
and  nothing  seeing,  and 
nothing  knowing  and  noth- 
ing watching  (he  saw  and 
he  knew  and  he  watched 
nothing) 


270        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

JTID3  PN  >:?  for  nothing  in  death  to 
remember  thee  (there  is  no 
memory  in  death  of  thou 
who  survives) 

HUT  Yahweh  no  more  in  the 
wrath  thine  shalt  thou 
chastise  me  (chastise  me 
no  more  in  thy  wrath) 


PARAGOGIC  CHARACTERS        271 


§  III. 

PABAGOGIC  CHARACTERS 

The  thinkers  of  the  last  centuries  in  their  innumerable 
labours  concerning  the  tongue  of  the  Hebrews,  many  of 
which  are  not  without  merit,  must  have  seen  that  the  He- 
braic characters  had  nearly  all  an  intrinsic  value,  which 
gave  force  to  the  words  to  which  they  were  added.  Although 
the  majority  of  these  savants  were  very  far  from  going 
back  to  the  origin  of  the  sign,  and  although  nearly  all  of 
them  discerned  that  the  meaning  attached  to  these  char- 
acters was  arbitrary,  they  could  nevertheless,  detect  it. 
Some,  considering  more  particularly  those  characters 
which  appear  at  the  beginning  or  the  end  of  words  to 
modify  the  signification,  have  chosen  six:  N/  fl/  */  O/  J 
and  H:  and  taking  the  sound  which  results  from  their 
union,  have  designated  them  by  the  barbarous  name  of 
heemanthes.  Others,  selecting  only  those  which  chance 
appears  to  insert  in  certain  words  or  to  add  them  without 
evident  reason,  have  named  them  para gogics;  that  is  to  say, 
happened.  These  characters,  likewise  six  in  number  are: 
N/  ft/  '/  ")/  3  and  fi.  The  only  difference  which  exists  be- 
tween the  heemanthes  and  the  paragogics,  is  in  the  latter, 
where  the  vowel  1  is  substituted  for  the  consonant  D» 

I  might  omit  further  discussion  of  these  characters 
since  I  have  already  considered  them  under  the  relation 
of  signs;  but  in  order  to  leave  nothing  to  be  desired,  I 
shall  state  concisely  what  the  Hebraists  have  thought  of 
them. 

N  In  considering  this  character  as  belonging  to  the 
heemanthes,  the  Hebraists  have  seen  that  it  expressed 
force,  stability,  duration  of  substance,  denomination.  As 
paragogic,  they  have  taught  that  it  was  found  without 


272         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

motives,  added  to  certain  verbal  tenses  which  terminate 
in  1,  as  in  the  following  examples : 

NO1?!1!     they  went  JWJ     they  raised 

N*Q     they  wished  etc. 

This  addition  is  a  sort  of  redundancy  in  imitation  of 
the  Arabs.  It  expresses  the  force  and  duration  of  the  ac- 
tion. 

H  Whether  this  character  is  ranked  among  the  he- 
emanthes,  or  among  the  paragogics  it  is  useless  for  me  to 
add  anything  more  to  what  I  have  said,  either  as  sign,  or 
as  determinative  or  emphatic  article.  We  know  now  that 
it  can  begin  or  terminate  all  kinds  of  words,  nouns,  verbs 
or  relations. 

1  It  is  not  a  question  here  of  its  astonishing  power 
of  changing  the  temporal  modifications  of  the  verbs,  by 
carrying  to  the  past  those  which  are  of  the  future,  and  to 
the  future  those  which  are  of  the  past.  When  the  Heb- 
raists called  it  paragogic,  they  considered  it  simply  as 
added  to  certain  words  without  other  reasons  than  of  join- 
ing them  together. 

the  terrestrial  animality    (the  animal 
kingdom) 

the  son  of  Beor 

the  source  of  the  waters 

*  The  Hebraists  who  have  considered  this  character 
as  heemanthe,  have  attributed  to  it  the  same  qualities  as 
the  vowel  tf ,  but  more  moral  and  bearing  more  upon  mind 
than  upon  matter.  Those  who  have  treated  it  as  paragogic 
have  said  that  it  was  found  sometimes  inserted  in  words 
and  oftener  placed  at  the  end,  particularly  in  the  feminine. 
They  have  not  given  the  cause  of  this  insertion  or  this 
addition,  which  results  very  certainly  from  the  faculty  that 


PARAGOGIC  CHARACTERS  273 

it  has  as  sign,  of  expressing  the  manifestation  and  the 
imminence  of  actions.    For  example : 

with  a  view  to  being  informed,  being 

instructed;  to  inquire 

it  will  be  done  without  interruption: 

by  myself,  openly 

an  immense  crowd  of  people :  a  swift 

arrow 

establishing  him  with  glory 

hostile  with  boldness 
D  This  character  placed  among  the  heemanthes  by 
the  Hebraists  is  found  equally  at  the  beginning  and  the  end 
of  words.  When  it  is  at  the  beginning  it  becomes,  accord- 
ing to  them,  local  and  instrumental ;  it  forms  the  names  of 
actions,  passions  and  objects.  When  it  is  at  the  end  it 
expresses  that  which  is  collective,  comprehensive,  generic, 
or  more  intense  and  more  assured.  It  is  very  singular  that 
with  these  ideas,  these  savants  have  been  able  so  often  to 
misunderstand  this  sign  whose  usage  is  so  frequent  in 
the  tongue  of  Moses.  What  has  caused  their  error  is  the 
readiness  with  which  they  have  confused  it  with  the  verbal 
affix  D«  I  shall  produce  in  my  notes  upon  the  Cosmogony 
of  Moses,  several  examples  wherein  this  confusion  has 
caused  the  strangest  mistranslation.  Here  for  instance, 
are  some  examples  without  comment. 

t  DJPN    a  truth  universal ;  a  faith  immutable 
'  Dpi*    all  the  day ;  a  name  collective,  generic, 

universal 
J  DfiN    the  whole ;  the  collective  self-sameness ; 

the  ipseity 

ICtyW    the  universality  of  time,  space,  dura- 
tion, ages 
*  DPO    he  ceased  entirely ;  he  rested  wholly 

in  the  general  action  of  declining,  of 

being  lost 


274         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


to  degrade,  to  destroy,  to  ruin  entirely 

J  Among    the   heemanthes,   this   character   expresses 
either  passive  action  and  turns  back  to  itself  when  it  ap- 
pears at   the   beginning   of   words;   or,   unfoldment  and 
augmentation  when  it  is  placed  at  the  end.     Among  the 
paragogics.  it  is  added  without  reason,  say  the  Hebraists, 
to  the  verbal  modifications  terminated  by  the  vowels  1  or 
':  or  is  inserted  in  certain  words  to  soften  the  pronuncia- 
tion.    It  is  evident  that  even  in  this  case  it  retains  its 
character  as  can  be  judged  by  the  following  examples. 
they  knew  at  full  length 
thou  shalt  do  without  neglecting 
•'  JOT*?    so  as  to  give  generously 
he  surrounded  it  well 
he  closed  it  carefully 
behold  his  manner  of  being  (his  being) 
J  flu*    torment  of  the  soul,  sorrow,  entire  dis- 

organization 

t  p"O?    steadfast  remembrance,  very  extended 
J  [1"ttO    well-stored  provisions 

H  The  Hebraists  who  have  included  this  character 
among  the  heemanthes,  have  attributed  to  it  the  property 
that  it  has  as  sign,  of  expressing  the  continuity  of  things 
and  their  reciprocity.  Those  who  have  made  it  a  paragogic 
have  only  remarked  the  great  propensity  that  it  has  for 
being  substituted  for  the  character  fl;  propensity  of  which 
I  have  spoken  sufficiently.  Here  are  some  examples  rela- 
tive to  its  reciprocity  as  sign: 

reciprocal  sorrow 
mutual  estrangement,  aversion 
he  desired  mutually  and  continually 
5  HOMJl    sympathetic  sleep 

mutual  retribution,  contribution 


CONCLUSION  275 

5  IV. 

CONCLUSION. 

This  is  about  all  that  the  vulgar  Hebraists  have  un- 
derstood of  the  effects  of  the  sign.  Their  knowledge  would 
have  been  greater  if  they  had  known  how  to  apply  it.  Bui 
I  do  not  see  one  who  has  done  so.  It  is  true  that  in  tht 
difficulties  which  they  found  in  the  triliteral  and  dissyl- 
labic roots,  they  applied,  with  a  sort  of  devotion  to  the 
Hebraic  tongue,  this  application  which  already  very  difii- 
cult  in  itself,  obtained  no  results. 

I  venture  to  entertain  the  hope  that  the  reader  who 
has  followed  me  with  consistent  attention,  having  reached 
this  point  in  my  Grammar,  will  no  longer  see  in  the 
tongues  of  men  so  many  arbitrary  institutions,  and  in 
speech,  a  fortuitous  production  due  to  the  mechanism  of 
the  organs  alone.  Nothing  arbitrary,  nothing  fortuitous 
moves  with  this  regularity,  or  is  developed  with  this  con- 
stancy. It  is  very  true  that  without  organs  man  would 
not  speak ;  but  the  principle  of  speech  exists  none  the  less 
independently,  ever  ready  to  be  modified  when  the  organs 
are  suspectible  of  this  modification.  Both  the  principle 
and  the  organs  are  equally  given,  but  the  former,  exists 
immutable,  eternal,  in  the  divine  essence;  the  latter,  more 
or  less  perfect  according  to  the  temporal  state  of  the  sub- 
stance from  which  they  are  drawn,  present  to  this  prin- 
ciple, points  of  concentration  more  or  less  homogeneous 
and  reflect  it  with  more  or  less  purity.  Thus  the  light 
strikes  the  crystal  which  is  to  receive  it  and  is  refracted 
with  an  energy  analogous  to  the  polish  of  its  surface.  The 
purer  the  crystal  the  more  brilliant  it  appears.  A  surface 
unpolished,  sullied  or  blackened,,  gives  only  an  uncertain 
dull  reflection  or  none  at  all.  The  light  remains  immutable 
although  its  refracted  rays  mav  be  infinitelv  varied.  In 
this  manner  is  the  principle  of  speech  developed.  Ever 
the  same  au  fond,  it  indicates  nevertheless,  in  its  effects 
the  organic  state  of  man.  The  more  this  state  acquires 


276         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

perfection,  and  it  acquires  it  unceasingly,  the  more  speech 
gives  facility  to  display  its  beauties. 

According  as  the  centuries  advance,  everything  ad- 
vances toward  its  perfection.  Tongues  experience  in  this 
respect,  the  vicissitudes  of  all  things,  Dependent  upon  the 
organs  as  to  form,  they  are  independent  as  to  principle. 
Now  this  principle  tends  toward  the  unity  from  which  it 
emanates.  The  multiplicity  of  idioms  is  a  reflection  upon 
the  imperfection  of  the  organs  since  it  is  opposed  to  this 
unity.  If  man  were  perfect,  if  his  organs  had  acquired  all 
the  perfection  of  which  they  were  susceptible,  one  single 
tongue  would  extend  and  be  spoken  from  one  extremity 
of  the  earth  to  the  other. 

I  feel  that  this  idea,  quite  true  as  it  is,  will  appear 
paradoxical;  but  I  cannot  reject  the  truth. 

From  the  several  simple  tongues  I  have  chosen  the 
Hebrew  to  follow  its  developments  and  make  them  per- 
ceived. I  have  endeavoured  to  reveal  the  material  of  this 
ancient  idiom,  and  to  show  that  my  principal  aim  has  been 
to  make  its  genius  understood  and  to  induce  the  reader 
to  apply  this  same  genius  to  other  studies;  for  the  sign 
upon  which  I  have  raised  my  grammatical  edifice  is  the 
unique  basis  upon  which  repose  all  the  tongues  of  the 
world. 

The  sign  comes  directly  from  the  eternal  principle  of 
speech,  emanated  from  the  Divinity,  and  if  it  is  not  pre- 
sented everywhere  under  the  same  form  and  with  the  same 
attributes,  it  is  because  the  organs,  charged  with  pro- 
ducing it  exteriorly,  not  only  are  not  the  same  among  all 
peoples,  in  all  ages  and  under  all  climates,  but  also  be- 
cause they  receive  an  impulse  which  the  human  mind 
modifies  according  to  its  temporal  state. 

The  sign  is  limited  to  the  simple  inflections  of  the 
voice.  There  are  as  many  signs  possible  as  inflections. 
These  inflections  are  few  in  number.  The  people  who  have 
distinguished  them  from  their  different  combinations,  re- 
presenting them  by  characters  susceptible  of  being  linked 


CONCLUSION  277 

together,  as  one  sees  it  in  the  literal  alphabet  which  we 
possess,  have  hastened  the  perfecting  of  the  language  with 
respect  to  the  exterior  forms;  those  who,  blending  them 
with  these  same  combinations  have  applied  them  to  an 
indefinite  series  of  compound  characters,  as  one  sees  among 
the  Chinese,  have  perfected  its  interior  images.  The  Egyp- 
tians who  possessed  at  once  the  literal  sign  and  the  hiero- 
glyphic combination,  became,  as  they  certainly  were  in 
the  temporal  state  of  things,  the  most  enlightened  people 
of  the  world. 

The  different  combinations  of  signs  constitute  the 
roots.  All  roots  are  monosyllabic.  Their  number  is  lim- 
ited; for  it  can  never  be  raised  beyond  the  combinations 
possible  between  two  consonant  signs  and  one  vocal  at  the 
most.  In  their  origin  they  presented  only  a  vague  and 
generic  idea  applied  to  all  things  of  the  same  form,  of  the 
same  species,  of  the  same  nature.  It  is  always  by  a  restric- 
tion of  thought  that  they  are  particularized.  Plato  who 
considered  general  ideas  as  preexistent,  anterior  to  par- 
ticular ideas,  was  right  even  in  reference  to  the  formation 
of  the  words  which  express  them.  Vegetation  is  conceived 
before  the  vegetable,  the  vegetable  before  the  tree,  the  tree 
before  the  oak,  the  oak  before  all  the  particular  kinds. 
One  sees  animality  before  the  animal,  the  animal  before 
the  quadruped,  the  quadruped  before  the  wolf,  the  wolf 
before  the  fox  or  the  dog  and  their  diverse  races. 

At  the  very  moment  when  the  sign  produces  the  root, 
it  produces  also  the  relation. 

Particular  ideas  which  are  distinguished  from  general 
ideas,  are  assembled  about  the  primitive  roots  which 
thenceforth  become  idiomatic,  receive  the  modifications  of 
the  sign,  combine  together  and  form  that  mass  of  words 
which  the  different  idioms  possess. 

Nevertheless  the  unique  verb  until  then  implied,  ap- 
propriates a  form  analogous  to  its  essence  and  appears  in 
speech.  At  this  epoch  a  brilliant  revolution  takes  place  in 
speech.  As  soon  as  the  mind  of  man  feels  it,  he  is  pen- 
etrated by  it.  The  substance  is  illumined.  The  verbal 


278         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

life  circulates.  Thousands  of  nouns  which  it  animates 
become  particular  verbs. 

Thus  speech  is  divided  into  substance  and  verb.  The 
substance  is  distinguished  by  gender  and  by  number,  bj 
quality  and  by  movement.  The  verb  is  subject  to  move- 
ment and  form,  tense  and  person.  It  expresses  the  dif- 
ferent affections  of  the  will.  The  sign,  which  transmits 
all  its  force  to  the  relation,  binds  these  two  parts  of  speech, 
directs  them  in  their  movements  and  constructs  them. 

Afterward  all  depends  upon  the  temporal  state  of 
things.  At  first  a  thousand  idioms  prevail  in  a  thousand 
places  on  the  earth.  All  have  their  local  physiognomy. 
All  have  their  particular  genius.  But  nature  obeying  the 
unique  impulse  which  it  receives  from  the  Being  of  beings, 
moves  on  to  unity.  Peoples,  pushed  toward  one  another 
like  waves  of  the  ocean,  rush  and  mingle  together,  losing 
the  identity  of  their  natal  idiom.  A  tongue  more  extended 
is  formed.  This  tongue  becomes  enriched,  is  coloured  and 
propagated.  The  sounds  become  softened  by  contact  and 
use.  The  expressions  are  numerous,  elegant,  forceful. 
Thought  is  developed  with  facility.  Genius  finds  a  docile 
instrument.  But  one,  two  or  three  rival  tongues  are  equal- 
ly formed;  the  movement  which  leads  to  unity  continues. 
Only,  instead  of  some  weak  tribes  clashing,  there  are  en- 
tire nations  whose  waves  now  surge,  spreading  from  the 
north  to  the  south  and  from  the  Orient  to  the  Occident. 
Tongues  are  broken  like  political  existences.  Their  fusion 
takes  place.  Upon  their  common  debris  rise  other  nations 
and  other  tongues  more  and  more  extended,  until  at  last 
one  sole  nation  prevails  whose  tongue  enriched  by  all  the 
discoveries  of  the  past  ages,  child  and  just  inheritor  of  all 
the  idioms  of  the  world,  is  propagated  more  and  more, 
and  takes  possession  of  the  earth. 

O  France!  O  my  Country!  art  thou  destined  to  so 
great  glory?  Thy  tongue,  sacred  to  all  men,  has  it  received 
from  heaven  enough  force  to  bring  them  back  to  unity  of 
Speech?  It  is  the  secret  of  Providence. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY         279 

PREFATORY  NOTE 

After  all  that  I  have  said  in  my  Grammar,  both  con- 
cerning the  force  of  the  sign  and  the  manner  in  which 
it  gives  rise  to  the  root,  there  remains  but  little  to  be 
added.  The  strongest  argument  that  I  can  give  in  favour 
of  the  truths  that  I  have  announced  upon  this  subject, 
is  undoubtedly  the  Vocabulary  which  now  follows.  I  ven- 
ture to  say  that  the  attentive  and  wisely  impartial  reader 
will  see  with  an  astonishment  mingled  with  pleasure,  some 
four  or  five  hundred  primitive  roots,  all  monosyllables 
resulting  easily  from  the  twenty-two  signs,  by  twos,  ac- 
cording to  their  vocal  or  consonantal  nature,  developing 
all  universal  and  productive  ideas  and  presenting  a  means 
of  composition  as  simple  as  inexhaustible.  For  as  I  have 
already  said,  and  as  I  shall  often  prove  in  my  notes,  there 
exists  not  a  single  word  of  more  than  one  syllable,  which 
is  not  a  compound  derived  from  a  primitive  root,  either 
by  the  amalgamation  of  a  mother  vowel,  the  adjunction 
of  one  or  several  signs,  the  union  of  the  roots  themselves, 
the  fusion  of  one  in  the  other,  or  their  contraction. 

This  great  simplicity  in  the  principles,  this  uniform- 
ity and  this  surety  in  the  course,  this  prodigious  richness 
of  invention  in  the  developments,  had  caused  the  an- 
cient sages  of  Greece,  those  capable  of  understanding  and 
appreciating  the  remains  of  the  sacred  dialect  of  Egypt, 
to  think  that  this  dialect  had  been  the  work  of  the  priests 
themselves  who  had  fashioned  it  for  their  own  use;  not 
perceiving,  from  the  irregular  turn  pursued  by  the  Greek 
idiom  and  even  the  vulgar  idiom  then  in  use  in  Lower 
Egypt,  that  any  tongue  whatsoever,  given  its  own  full 
sway,  might  attain  to  this  degree  of  perfection.  Their 
error  was  to  a  certain  point  excusable.  They  could  not 
know,  deprived  as  they  were  of  means  of  comparison, 
the  enormous  difference  which  exists  between  a  real 
mother  tongue  and  one  which  is  not.  The  merit  of  the 
Egyptian  priests  was  not,  as  has  been  supposed,  in  having 
invented  the  ancient  idiom,  which  they  used  instead  of 


280         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

the  sacred  dialect,  but  in  having  fathomed  the  genius,  in 
having  well  understood  its  elements,  and  in  having  been 
instructed  to  employ  them  in  a  manner  conformable  with 
their  nature. 

The  reader  will  discern,  in  glancing  through  the 
Vocabulary  which  I  give  and  which  I  have  restored  with 
the  utmost  care  possible,  to  what  degree  of  force,  clarity 
and  richness,  the  tongue  whose  basis  it  formed,  could  at- 
tain; he  will  also  perceive  its  usefulness  in  the  hands  of 
the  wise  and  studious  man,  eager  to  go  back  to  the  origin 
of  speech  and  to  sound  the  mystery,  hitherto  generally 
unknown,  of  the  formation  of  language. 

The  universal  principle  is  not  for  man.  All  that  falls 
beneath  his  senses,  all  that  of  which  he  can  acquire  a  real 
and  positive  understanding  is  diverse.  God  alone  is  one. 
The  principle  which  presides  at  the  formation  of  the 
Hebrew  is  not  therefore  universally  the  same  as  that 
which  presides  at  the  formation  of  Chinese,  Sanskrit  or 
any  other  similar  tongue.  Although  issued  from  a  com- 
mon source  which  is  Speech,  the  constitutive  prin- 
ciples of  the  tongues  differ.  Because  a  primitive  root 
formed  of  such  or  such  sign,  contains  such  a  general  idea 
in  Hebrew,  it  is  not  said  for  that  reason  that  it  ought  to 
contain  it  in  Celtic.  Very  close  attention  must  be  given 
here.  This  same  root  can,  on  the  contrary,  develop  an  op- 
posite idea;  and  this  occurs  nearly  always  when  the  spirit 
of  a  people  is  found  in  contradiction  with  that  of  another 
people  concerning  the  sentiment  which  is  the  cause  of 
the  idea.  If  a  person,  reading  my  Vocabulary,  seeing  the 
most  extended  developments  follow  the  simplest  premises, 
and  discovering  at  first  glance  irresistible  relations  in 
Hebrew  with  his  own  language  and  the  ancient  or  modern 
tongues  which  ho  knows,  ventures  to  believe  that  Hebrew 
is  the  primitive  tongue  from  which  all  the  others  descend, 
he  would  be  mistaken.  He  would  imitate  those  number- 
less systematic  scholars  who,  not  understanding  the  vast 
plan  upon  which  nature  works  have  always  wished  to 
restrict  it  to  the  narrow  sphere  of  their  understanding. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  281 

It  is  not  enough  to  have  grasped  the  outline  of  one  single 
figure  to  understand  the  arrangement  of  a  picture.  There 
is  nothing  so  false,  from  whatever  viewpoint  one  considers 
it,  as  that  impassioned  sentence  which  has  become  a  philos- 
ophic axiom :  db  uno  disce  omnes.  It  is  in  following  this 
idea  that  man  has  built  so  many  heterogeneous  edifices 
upon  sciences  of  every  sort. 

The  Radical  Vocabulary  which  I  give  is  that  of  Heb- 
rew; it  is  therefore  good  primarily  for  the  Hebrew;  se- 
condarily, for  the  tongues  which  belong  to  the  same  stock, 
such  as  Arabic,  Coptic,  Syriac,  etc;  but  it  is  only  in  the 
third  place  and  in  an  indirect  manner  that  it  can  be  of 
use  in  establishing  the  etymologies  of  Greek  or  Latin,  be- 
cause these  two  tongues  having  received  their  first  roots 
from  the  ancient  Celtic,  have  with  Hebrew  only  coinciden- 
tal relations  given  them  by  the  universal  principle  of 
speech,  or  the  fortuitous  mixture  of  peoples:  for  the  Cel- 
tic, similar  to  Hebrew,  Sanskrit  and  Chinese  in  all  that 
comes  from  the  universal  principle  of  speech,  differs  essen- 
tially in  the  particular  principle  of  its  formation. 

The  French,  sprung  from  the  Celtic  in  its  deepest 
roots,  modified  by  a  mass  of  dialects,  fashioned  by  Latin 
and  Greek,  inundated  by  Gothic,  mixed  with  Frank  and 
Teutonic,  refashioned  by  Latin,  repolished  by  Greek,  in 
continual  struggle  with  all  the  neighbouring  idioms;  the 
French  is  perhaps,  of  all  the  tongues  extant  today  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth,  the  one  whose  etymology  is  most  dif- 
ficult. One  cannot  act  with  too  much  circumspection  in 
this  matter.  This  tongue  is  beautiful  but  its  beauty  lies 
not  in  its  simplicity :  on  the  contrary,  there  is  nothing  so 
complicated.  It  is  in  proportion  as  one  is  enlightened  con- 
cerning the  elements  which  compose  it,  that  the  difficulty 
of  its  analysis  will  be  felt  and  that  unknown  resources  will 
be  discovered.  Much  time  and  labour  is  necessary  before 
a  good  etymological  dictionary  of  this  tongue  can  be  pro- 
duced. Three  tongues  well  understood,  Hebrew,  Sanskrit 
and  Chinese  can,  as  I  have  said,  lead  one  to  the  origin  of 
speech;  but  to  penetrate  into  the  etymological  details  of 


282        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

French,  it  would  be  necessary  to  know  also  the  Celtic,  and 
to  understand  thoroughly  all  the  idioms  which  are  derived 
therefrom  and  which  directly  or  indirectly  have  furnished 
expressions  to  that  of  the  Gauls,  our  ancestors,  of  the 
Romans,  our  masters,  or  of  the  Franks,  their  conquerors. 
I  say  to  understand  thoroughly,  for  grammars  and  vocab- 
ularies ranged  in  a  library  do  not  constitute  real  know- 
ledge. I  cannot  prove  better  this  assertion  than  by  citing 
the  example  of  Court  de  Gebelin.  This  studious  man  un- 
derstood Greek  and  Latin  well,  he  possessed  a  slight  know- 
ledge of  the  oriental  tongues  as  much  as  was  possible  in 
his  time;  but  as  he  was  ignorant  of  the  tongues  of  the 
north  of  Europe  or  at  least  as  their  genius  was  unfamiliar 
to  him,  this  defect  always  prevented  his  grasping  in  their 
real  light,  French  etymologies.  The  first  step  which  he 
took  in  this  course,  was  an  absurd  error  which  might  have 
brought  entire  discredit  upon  him  if  there  had  been  any- 
one capable  of  detecting  his  mistake.  He  said,  for  ex- 
ample, that  the  French  word  abandon  was  a  kind  of  ellipt- 
ical and  figurative  phrase  composed  of  three  words  a-ban- 
don;  and  that  it  signified  a  gift  made  to  the  people,  taking 
the  word  ban  for  the  people,  the  public.  Besides  it  is  not 
true  that  the  word  ban  may  signify  people  or  public  in  the 
sense  in  which  he  takes  it,  since  its  etymology  proves  that 
it  has  signified  common  or  general,1  it  was  not  necessary 
to  imagine  an  ellipsis  of  that  force  to  explain  abandon. 
It  is  only  necessary  to  know  that  in  Teutonic  band  is  a 

i  We  still  say  banal  to  express  that  which  is  common.  It  is  worthy 
of  notice  that  the  word  banal  goes  back  to  the  Gallic  root  ban,  which 
in  a  restricted  sense  characterizes  a  woman;  whereas  its  analogues 
common  and  general  are  attached,  the  one  to  the  Celtic  root  gwym, 
cwym  or  kum,  and  the  other  to  the  Greek  root  TW,  which  is  derived 
from  it;  now  these  two  roots  characterize  alike,  a  woman,  and  ali 
that  which  is  joined,  united,  communicated,  or  generated,  produced. 
Cym  in  Gallic-Celtic,  Suv  or  2u/*  in  Greek,  cum  in  Latin,  servas  equally 
the  designative  or  adverbial  relation,  to  express  with.  The  Greek 
word  yafteiv  signifies  to  be  united,  to  marry,  to  take  wife,  and  the 
word  gemein  which,  in  modern  German  holds  to  the  same  root,  is 
applied  to  all  that  is  common,  general. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  283 

root  expressing  all  that  is  linked,  retained,  guarded,  and 
that  the  word  olin  or  ohnc,  analogous  to  the  Hebrew  [V* 
is  a  negation  which  being  added  to  words,  expresses  ab- 
sence. So  that  the  compound  band-ohne  or  aband-ohn, 
with  the  redundant  vowel,  is  the  exact  synonym  of  our 
expressions  abandon  or  abandonment. 

Court  de  Gebelin  made  a  graver  mistake  when  he 
wrote  that  the  French  word  verite  is  derived  from  a  so- 
called  primitive  root  var,  or  ver,  which  according  to  him 
signified  water  and  all  that  which  is  limpid  and  trans- 
parent as  that  element :  for  how  could  he  forget  that  in  the 
Celtic  and  in  all  the  dialects  of  the  north  of  Europe  the 
root  war,  wer,  wir,  or  wahr,  ward,  develops  the  ideas  of 
being,  in  general,  and  of  man  in  particular,  and  signifies, 
according  to  the  dialect,  that  which  is,  that  which  was, 
and  even  becomes  a  sort  of  auxiliary  verb  to  express  that 
which  will  be?  It  is  hardly  conceivable. 

Now  if  a  savant  so  worthy  of  commendation  has  been 
able  to  go  astray  upon  this  point  in  treating  of  French 
etymologies,  I  leave  to  the  imagination  what  those  who 
lack  his  acquired  knowledge  would  do  in  this  pursuit. 

Doubtless  there  is  nothing  so  useful  as  etymological 
science,  nothing  which  opens  to  the  meditation  a  field  so 
vast,  which  lends  to  the  history  of  peoples  so  sure  a  link ; 
but  also,  nothing  is  so  difficult  and  nothing  which  demand? 
such  long  and  varied  preparatory  studies.  In  the  past 
century  when  a  writer  joined  to  Latin,  certain  words  of 
Greek  and  of  bad  Hebrew,  he  believed  himself  a  capable 
etymologist.  Court  de  Gebelin  was  the  first  to  foresee  the 
immensity  of  the  undertaking.  If  he  has  not  traversed 
the  route  he  has  at  least  had  the  glory  of  showing  the  way. 
Notwithstanding  his  mistakes  and  his  inadvertencies 
which  I  have  disclosed  with  an  impartial  freedom,  he  is 
still  the  only  guide  that  one  can  follow,  so  far  as  general 
maxims  are  concerned,  and  the  laws  to  be  observed  in  the 
exploration  of  tongues.  I  cannot  conceive  how  a  writer 
who  appears  to  unite  so  much  positive  learning  as  tiie  one 


284         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

who  has  just  published  a  book  in  German  full  of  excellent 
views  upon  the  tongue  and  science  of  the  Indians1  can 
have  misunderstood  the  first  rules  of  etymology  to  the 
point  of  giving  constantly  for  roots  of  Sanskrit,  words  of 
two,  three  and  four  syllables ;  not  knowing  or  feigning  not 
to  know  that  every  root  is  monosyllabic;  still  less  can  I 
conceive  how  he  has  not  seen  that,  in  the  comparison  of 
tongues,  it  is  never  the  compound  which  proves  an  original 
analogy,  but  the  root.  Sanskrit  has  without  doubt  deep 
connection  with  ancient  Celtic  and  consequently  with 
Teutonic,  one  of  its  dialects;  but  it  is  not  by  analyzing 
about  thirty  compound  words  of  modern  German  that 
these  connections  are  proved.  To  do  this  one  must  go 
back  to  the  primitive  roots  of  the  two  tongues,  show  their 
affinity,  and  in  compounds,  inevitably  diverse,  distinguish 
their  different  genius  and  give  thus  to  the  philosopher 
and  historian,  materials  for  penetrating  the  esprit  of  these 
two  peoples  and  noting  their  moral  and  physical  revolu- 
tions. 

In  this  Prefatory  Note,  my  only  object  has  been  to 
show  the  difficulty  of  the  etymological  science  and  to  warn 
the  overzealous  reader  as  much  as  possible,  against  the 
wrong  applications  that  he  might  make  in  generalizing 
particular  principles,  and  against  the  errors  into  which 
too  much  impetuosity  might  lead  him. 

1  Ueber  die  Sprache  und  Weisheit  der  Indier. . .    I  vol.  in-8  Heidel- 
berg. 1808. 


The 
Hebraic  Tongue   Restored 


HEBRAIC    ROOTS. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY 

OB 

SERIES  OF  HEBRAIC  ROOTS. 

J$  A.  First  character  of  the  alphabet  in  nearly  all 
known  idioms.  As  symbolic  image  it  represents  universal 
man,  mankind,  the  ruling  being  of  the  earth.  In  its  hiero- 
glyphic acceptation,  it  characterizes  unity,  the  central 
point,  the  abstract  principle  of  a  thing.  As  sign,  it  ex- 
presses power,  stability,  continuity.  Some  grammarians 
make  it  express  a  kind  of  superlative  as  in  Arabic;  but 
this  is  only  a  result  of  its  power  as  sign.  On  some  rare 
occasions  it  takes  the  place  of  the  emphatic  article  H 
either  at  the  beginning  or  at  the  end  of  words.  The  rabbis 
use  it  as  a  sort  of  article.  It  is  often  added  at  the  head 
of  words  as  redundant  vowel,  to  make  them  more  sonorous 
and  to  add  to  their  expression. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  1. 


AB.  The  potential  sign  united  to  that  of  in- 
terior activity  produces  a  root  whence  come  all  ideas  of 
productive  cause,  efficient  will,  determining  movement, 
generative  force.  In  many  ancient  idioms  and  particular- 

ly in  the  Persian  ^1,  this  root  is  applied  especially  to  the 
aqueous  element  as  principle  of  universal  fructification. 

2N  All  ideas  of  paternity.  Desire  to  have:  a 
father  :  fruit.  In  reflecting  upon  these  different  significa- 
tions, which  appear  at  first  incongruous,  one  will  perceive 
that  they  come  from  one  another  and  are  produced  mu- 
tually. 

The  Arabic  wl  contains  all  the  significations  of  the 
Hebraic  root.  As  noun,  it  is  father  and  paternity,  fruit 
and  fructification;  that  which  is  producer  and  produced; 
that  which  germinates  and  comes  forth  as  verdure  upon 

287 


288         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

the  earth.  As  verb  *  it  is  the  action  of  tending  toward  a 
desired  end,  proceeding,  returning,  etc. 

DX  or  DDK  (intensive]  That  which  grows,  is  pro- 
pagated: vegetation,  germination. 

DHN  (compound)  All  ideas  of  lore,  sympathy,  in- 
clination, kindness.  It  is  the  sign  of  life  H  which  gives  to 
the  idea  of  desire  to  have,  contained  in  the  root  DX,  the 
movement  of  expansion  which  transforms  it  into  that  of 
love.  It  is,  according  to  the  etymological  sense,  that  which 
seeks  to  spread  out. 

DIN  (comp.)  This  is,  in  a  broader  sense,  the  Uni- 
versal Mystery,  the  Matrix  of  the  Universe,  the  Orphic- 
Egg,  the  World,  the  Vessel  of  Isis,  the  Pythonic  Mind: 
in  a  more  restricted  sense,  belly;  leather  bottle,  cavity, 
vase,  etc. 

JJ$  AG.  This  root,  which  is  only  used  in  composi- 
tion, characterizes  in  its  primitive  acceptation,  an  acting 

thing  which  tends  to  be  augmented.  The  Arabic  r-1  ex- 
presses ignition,  acrimony,  intense  excitation. 

JN  The  Chaldaic  ^N  signifies  a  lofty,  spreading 
tree:  the  Hebrew  p3N  a  walnut  tree:  the  Arabic  r-ji  con- 
tains every  idea  of  magnitude,  physically  as  well  as  mo- 
rally. 

l  In  order  to  conceive  this  root  ^_j\    according  to  its  verbal  form, 

we  must  consider  the  last  character    ^    doubled.     It  is  thus  that  the 

radical  verbs  in  Arabic  are  formed.  These  verbs  are  not  considered 
as  radical  by  the  Arabic  grammarians;  but  on  the  contrary,  as  de- 
fective and  for  this  reason  are  called  surd  verbs.  These  grammarians 
regard  only  as  radical,  the  verbs  formed  of  three  characters  according 

to  the  verb    l^j  to  do,  which  they  give  as  verbal  type.     It  is  therefore 

from  this  false  supposition ,  that  every  verbal  root  must  possess  three 
characters,  that  the  Hebraist  grammarians  misunderstood  the  true 
roots  of  the  Hebraic  tongue. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  289 

AD.  This  root,  composed  of  the  signs  of  power 
and  of  physical  divisibility,  indicates  every  distinct,  single 
object,  taken  from  the  many. 

The  Arabic  il  conceived  in  an  abstract  manner  and 
as  adverbial  relation,  expresses  a  temporal  point,  a  de- 
termined epoch  :  when,  whilst,  whereas. 

*1N  That  which  emanates  from  a  thing:  the  power 
of  division,  relative  unity,  an  emanation;  a  smoking  fire 
brand. 

TIN  (comp.)  That  which  is  done  because  of  or  on 
occasion  of  another  thing  :  an  affair,  a  thing,  an  occurrence. 

"VK  (coinp.)  Every  idea  of  force,  power,  necessity: 
see  T. 


AH.  Vocal  principle.  Interjective  root  to 
which  is«  attached  all  passionate  movements  of  the  soul, 
those  which  are  born  of  joy  and  pleasure  as  well  as  those 
which  emanate  from  sorrow  and  pain.  It  is  the  origin 
of  all  interjective  relations  called  interjections  by  the 
grammarians.  Interjections,  says  Court  de  Gebelin,  vary- 
ing but  slightly  as  to  sound,  vary  infinitely  according  to 
the  degree  of  force  with  which  they  are  pronounced.  Sug- 
gested by  nature  and  supplied  by  the  vocal  instrument, 
they  are  of  all  times,  all  places,  all  peoples;  they  form 
an  universal  language.  It  is  needless  to  enter  into  the 
detail  of  their  various  modifications. 

HN  The  potential  sign  united  to  that  of  life,  forms 
a  root  in  which  resides  the  idea  most  abstract  and  most 
difficult  to  conceive,  —  that  of  the  will;  not  however,  that  of 
determined  or  manifested  will,  but  of  will  in  potentiality 
and  considered  independent  of  every  object.  It  is  volition 
or  the  faculty  of  willing. 

niN  Determined  will:  action  of  willing,  desiring, 
tending  toward  an  object;  See  IN* 

rptf  or  TTN  Manifested  will  :  place  of  the  desire,  ob- 


290         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

feet  of  the  will,  represented  by  the  adverbial  relation 
where.    See  'K, 

DHtt    ( comp. )  Action  of  desiring,  loving,  willing.  See 

»K. 

7HN    (comp.)  A  raised,  fixed  place,  where  one  dwells 

by  choice,  o  tent.    See  'TX. 

^  AO.  The  potential  sign  united  to  the  univer- 
sal convertible  sign,  image  of  the  mysterious  link  which 
joins  nothingness  to  being,  constitutes  one  of  the  most 
difficult  roots  to  conceive  which  the  Hebraic  tongue  can 
offer.  In  proportion  as  the  sense  is  generalized,  one  sees 
appear  all  ideas  of  appetence,  concupiscible  passion, 
vague  desire:  in  proportion  as  it  is  restricted,  one  dis- 
cerns only  a  sentiment  of  incertitude,  of  doubt,  which 
becomes  extinct  in  the  prepositive  relation  or. 

The  Arabic    jl   has  exactly  the  same  meaning. 

y\K    (comp.)  Desire  acting  interiorly.     See  2N. 

T)K    (comp.)  Desire  acting  exteriorly.    See  "IN. 

fTltf    (comp.)  Action  of  longing  ardently,  desiring, 
inclining  with  passion.    See  TIN . 

^IK   (comp.)  Desire  projected  into  space,  represented 
by  the  adverbial  relation  perhaps.    See  *?&<• 

[IK  (comp.)  Desire  vanishing,  being  lost  in  space  in 
nothingness.  See  |N» 

tyiK  (comp.)  Action  of  drawing  into  one's  will.  See 
r|N. 

PN    (comp.)  Action  of  hastening,  pressing  toward  a 

desired  end.    See  f$ « 

*)1X  (comp.)  Desire  given  over  to  its  own  movement, 
producing  ardour,  fire;  that  which  burns,  in  its  literal  as 
well  as  its  figurative  sense.  See  "IN. 

niN  (comp.)  Action  of  having  the  same  desire,  the 
same  will;  agreeing,  being  of  the  same  opinion.  See  fitf  • 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  291 

f  J{  AZ.  This  root,  but  little  used  in  Hebrew,  de- 
signates a  fixed  point  in  space  or  duration;  a  measured 
distance.  It  is  expressed  in  a  restricted  sense  by  the  ad- 
verbial relations  there  or  then. 

The  Arabic  j\  characterizes  a  sort  of  locomotion,  agi- 
tation, pulsation,  bubbling,  generative  movement.  As  verb 
it  has  the  sense  of  giving  a  principle;  of  founding.  The 
Chaldaic  N?K  expresses  a  movement  of  ascension  accord- 
ing to  which  a  thing  is  placed  above  another  in  conse- 
quence of  its  specific  gravity.  The  Ethiopic  3HH  (azz)  de- 
velops all  ideas  of  command,  ordination,  subordination. 

DN  This  is,  properly  speaking,  the  action  of  gas 
which  is  exhaled  and  seeks  its  point  of  equilibrium  :  figu- 
ratively, it  is  the  movement  of  the  ascension  of  fire,  ether, 
gaseous  fluids  in  general. 


AH.  The  potential  sign  united  to  that  of 
elementary  existence  fl,  image  of  the  travail  of  nature, 
produces  a  root  whence  result  all  ideas  of  equilibrium, 
equality,  identity,  fraternity.  When  the  sign  H  character- 
izes principally  an  effort,  the  root  HK  takes  the  meaning 
of  its  analogues  JN»  ?]N.  and  represents  a  somewhat 
violent  action.  It  furnishes  then  all  ideas  of  excitation 
and  becomes  the  name  of  the  place  where  the  fire  is  lighted, 
the  hearth. 

flN  Brother,  kinsman,  associate,  neighbour:  the 
common  hearth  where  all  assemble. 

The  Arabic  £\  contains  all  the  meanings  attributed 
to  the  Hebrew  IIN  • 

HN  and  "inN  One  :  first  :  all  ideas  attached  to  ident- 
ity, to  unity. 

^HN  All  ideas  of  junction,  adjunction,  union,  re- 
conciliation. Bulrush,  reed,  sedge. 

NIK  (comp.)  All  ideas  of  adhesion,  apprehension, 
agglomeration,  union,  possession,  heritage. 


292          THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


(comp.)  That  which  is  other,  following,  pos- 
terior; those  who  come  after,  who  remain  behind  ;  des- 
cendants, etc. 

^J$  AT.  This  root  is  scarcely  used  in  Hebrew  ex- 
cept to  describe  a  sound,  or  a  slow,  silent  movement.  The 

Arabic  i»l  expresses  any  kind  of  murmuring  noise. 
COX   A  magic  murmur;  witchcraft,  enchantment. 

*ij$  AI.  Power  accompanied  by  manifestation,  forms 
a  root  whose  meaning,  akin  to  that  which  we  have  found 
in  the  root  1tf  ,  expresses  the  same  idea  of  desire,  but  less 
vague  and  more  determined.  It  is  no  longer  sentiment, 
passion  without  object,  which  falls  into  incertitude:  it 
is  the  very  object  of  this  sentiment,  the  centre  toward 
which  the  will  tends,  the  place  where  it  is  fixed.  A  re- 
markable thing  is,  that  if  the  root  ^K  is  represented  in 
its  most  abstract  acceptation  by  the  prepositive  rela- 
tion or,  the  root  'K  is  represented,  in  the  same  accepta- 
tion, by  the  adverbial  relation  where. 

The  Arabic  ^\  expresses  the  same  assent  of  the 
will,  being  restricted  to  the  adverbial  relation  yes.  As 
pronominal  relation,  <^l  distinguishes  things  from  one 
another;  when  this  root  is  employed  as  verb  it  expresses 
in  <^l  or  <^jl  the  action  of  being  fixed  in  a  determined 
place,  choosing  an  abode,  being  united  voluntarily  to  a 
thing;  etc. 

*K  Every  centre  of  activity,  every  place  distinct, 
separate  from  another  place.  An  isle,  a  country,  a  region; 
where  one  is,  where  one  acts. 

y&  (  comp.  )  Every  idea  of  antipathy,  enmity,  anim- 
adversion. It  is  an  effect  of  the  movement  of  contrac- 
tion upon  the  volitive  centre  'N  by  the  sign  of  interior 
activity  3. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  293 

Ttf  (comp.)  A  vapour,  an  exhalation,  a  contagion: 
(hat  which  is  spread  without.  See  "V. 

*N  and  JTK  Every  exact  centre  of  activity:  in  a 
restricted  sense,  a  vulture,  a  crow:  in  an  abstract  sense, 
ir here,  there  where. 

*]'N  (comp.)  The  restriction  of  place,  of  mode; 
where  and  in  what  fashion  a  thing  acts,  represented  by 
the  adverbial  relations  wherefore?  hoic?  thus?  See  *]N. 

^N  (comp.)  A  ram,  a  deer;  the  idea  of  force  united 
to  that  of  desire.  See  *?K . 

O'N  (comp.)  Every  formidable  object^  every  being 
leaving  its  nature;  a  monster,  a  giant.  It  is  the  root'Ni 
considered  as  expressing  any  centre  of  activity  whatso- 
ever, which  assumes  the  collective  sign  P»  to  express  a 
disordered  will,  a  thing  capable  of  inspiring  terror. 

|*N     Absence  of  all  reality.    See  [N 

tJ^tf  (comp.)  Intellectual  principle  constituting  man. 
I  shall  explain  in  the  notes  how  the  root  *^  >  united  to  the 
root  BWi  has  formed  the  compound  root  £'*>*  which  has 
become  the  symbol  of  intellectual  man. 

JVK  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  constancy,  tenacity  of 
will :  that  which  is  rude,  harsh,  rough,  obstinate. 

7jfc$  ACH.  This  root,  composed  of  the  feigns  of  power 

and  of  assimilation,  produces  the  idea  of  every  compres- 
sion, every  effort  that  the  being  makes  upon  himself  or 
upon  another,  to  fix  him  or  to  be  fixed.  It  is  a  tendency 
to  make  compact,  to  centralize.  In  the  literal  acceptation 
it  is  the  action  of  restraining,  of  accepting.  In  the  figu- 
rative and  hieroglyphic  sense  it  is  the  symbol  of  concen- 
tric movement  tending  to  draw  near.  The  contrary  move- 
ment is  expressed  by  the  opposed  root  /H  or  ?X. 

It  must  be  observed  as  a  matter  worthy  of  the  greatest 
attention,  that  in  an  abstract  sense  the  root  T|K  represents 
the  adverbial  relation  yes,  and  the  root  *?{<  the  adverbial 


294          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

relation  no.     The  root    T]N    expresses  again  in  the  same 
sense,  but,  however,  certainly. 

The  Arabic  &\  contains,  as  the  Hebrew  ?]N'  all  ideas 
of  pressure,  compression,  vehemence. 

TpN  The  Arabic  ^j\  signifies  anger,  malice,  hateful 
passion.  The  Syriac  JLao{  is  a  name  of  the  devil. 

?VN       Every  idea  of  intrinsic  quality,  mode,  etc. 


AL.  This  root  springs  from  the  united  signs  of 
power  and  of  extensive  movement.  The  ideas  which  it 
develops  are  those  of  elevation,  force,  power,  extent.  The 
Hebrews  and  Arabs  have  drawn  from  it  the  name  of  GOD. 
7^  Hieroglyphically,  this  is  the  symbol  of  excentric 
force.  In  a  restricted  sense,  it  is  that  which  tends  toward 
an  end,  represented  by  the  designative  or  adverbial  re- 
lations to,  toward,  for,  by,  against,  upon,  beneath,  etc. 

The  Arabic  Jl  is  employed  as  the  universal  desig- 
native relation  the,  of  the,  to  the,  etc.  As  verb,  it  ex- 
presses in  the  ancient  idiom,  the  action  of  moving  quickly, 
going  with  promptness  from  one  place  to  another:  in  the 
modern  idiom  it  signifies  literally,  to  be  wearied  by  too 
much  movement. 

*?N  and  T^N  (intens.)  In  its  excess  of  extension,  it 
is  that  which  passes  away,  which  is  empty,  vain;  expressed 
by  the  adverbial  relations  no,  not,  not  so,  nought,  nothing; 
etc. 

^Htf    A  raised  dwelling,  a  tent. 

'TlK  Action  of  rising,  extending,  vanishing,  filling 
time  or  space. 

7*X  All  ideas  of  virtue,  courage  or  vigour,  of  physical 
and  moral  faculties:  of  extensive  and  vegetative  force:  an 
oak,  a  ram,  a  chief,  a  prince;  the  door  posts,  threshold; 
etc. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  295 

AM.  The  potential  sign  united  to  that  of  ex- 
terior activity;  as  collective  sign  it  produces  a  root  which 
develops  all  ideas  of-  passive  and  conditional  casuality, 
plastic  force,  formative  faculty,  maternity. 

ON  Mother,  origin,  source,  metropolis,  nation, 
family,  rule,  measure,  matrix.  In  an  abstract  sense  it  is 
conditional  possibility  expressed  by  the  relation  if.  But 
when  the  mother  vowel  tf  ,  gives  place  to  the  sign  of  mate- 
rial nature  #  ,  then  the  root  Dtf  loses  its  conditional  dubi- 
tative  expression  and  takes  the  positive  sense  expressed  by 
ivith. 

The  Arabic  *\  contains  all  the  significations  of  the 
Hebraic  root.  As  noun  it  is  mother,  rule,  principle,  origin; 
in  a  broader  sense  it  is  maternity,  the  cause  from  which 
all  emanates,  the  matrix  which  contains  all  ;  as  verb,  it  is 
the  action  of  serving  as  example,  as  model;  action  of  rul- 
ing, establishing  in  principle,  serving  as  cause;  as  ad- 
verbial relation  it  is  a  sort  of  dubitative,  conditional  in- 
terrogation exactly  like  the  Hebrew  ON  ;  but  what  is  quite 

remarkable  is,  that  the  Arabic  root  *\  ,  in  order  to  ex- 
press the*  adverbial  relation  with,  does  not  take  the  sign 
of  material  nature  #  before  that  of  exterior  activity  0> 
it  takes  it  after  ;  so  that  the  Arabic  instead  of  saying  0)7, 
says  in  an  inverse  manner  «*  .  This  difference  proves 
ihat  the  two  idioms  although  having  the  same  roots  have 
not  been  identical  in  their  developments.  It  also  shows 
that  it  is  to  Phoenician  or  to  Hebrew  that  the  Latin 
origins  must  be  brought  back,  since  the  word  cum  (with) 

is  derived  obviously  from    D#,  and  not  from  **. 

DIN       This  modification,  not  used  in  Hebrew,  signi- 
fies in  Chaldaic  the  basis  of  things. 
D'K    See  **„ 


!{$  AN. 
BS  of  the 


An  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the 
BS  of  the  soul  ;  pain,  sorrow,  anhelation. 


296          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ^\  used  as  verb,  signifies  to  sigh,  to  com- 
plain. 

|1K       Every  idea  of  pain,  sorrow,  trouble,  calamity. 

[N  The  signs  which  compose  this  root  are  those  of 
power  and  of  individual  existence.  They  determine  to- 
gether the  seity,  sameness,  selfsameness,  or  the  me  of  the 
being,  and  limit  the  extent  of  its  circumscription. 

fX  In  a  broader  sense,  it  is  the  sphere  of  moral  acti- 
vity; in  a  restricted  sense,  it  is  the  'body  of  the  being.  One 
says  in  Hebrew,  *JN  /;  as  if  one  said  my  sameness,  that 
which  constitutes  the  sum  of  my  faculties,  my  circumscrip- 
tion. 

The  Arabic  ^\  develops  in  general  the  same  ideas  as 

the  Hebrew  JK  •  In  a  restricted  sense  this  root  expresses, 
moreover,  the  actual  time,  the  present;  as  adverbial  re- 
lation it  is  represented  by,  that,  but,  provided  that. 

fltf  When  the  root  |K  has  received  the  universal 
convertible  sign,  it  becomes  the  symbol  of  being,  in  general. 
In  this  state  it  develops  the  most  opposed  ideas.  It  ex- 
presses all  and  nothing,  being  and  nothingness,  strength 
and  weakness,  virtue  and  vice,  riches  and  poverty;  ac- 
cording to  the  manner  in  which  the  being  is  conceived 
and  the  idea  that  one  attaches  to  the  spirit  or  matter 
which  constitutes  its  essence.  One  can,  in  the  purity  of 
the  Hebraic  tongue,  make  these  oppositions  felt  to  a  cer- 
tain point,  by  enlightening  or  obscuring  the  mother  vowel 
1  in  this  manner : 

(  TIN  virtue,  strength  ") 
?N  the  being  <  >  etc. 

(  pX  vice,  weakness    j 

['K  When  the  sign  of  manifestation  replaces  tha 
convertible  sign  in  the  root  JK,  it  specifies  the  sense;  but 
in  a  fashion  nevertheless,  of  presenting  always  the  con- 
trary of  what  is  announced  as  real:  so  that  wherever  the 
word  pi*  is  presented  it  expresses  absence. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  297 

AS.  Root  but  little  used  in  Hebrew  where  it  is 
ordinarily  replaced  by  IP'tf .  The  Arabic  ^\  presents  all 
ideas  deduced  from  that  of  basis.  In  several  of  the  an- 
cient idioms  the  very  name  of  the  earth  has  been  drawn 
from  this  root,  as  being  the  basis  of  things;  thence  is  also 
derived  the  name  of  Asia,  that  part  of  the  earth  which, 
long  considered  as  the  entire  earth,  has  preserved,  not- 
withstanding all  its  revolutions,  this  absolute  denomina- 
tion. 

The  Chaldaic  *DN  has  signified  in  a  restricted  sense 
a  physician;  no  doubt  because  of  the  health  whose  basis 
he  established.  The  Syriac,  Samaritan  and  Ethiopic  follow 
in  this,  the  Chaldaic. 

y^  AH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  It  is  an  onom- 
atopoetic  sound  in  the  Arabic  J,  ah!  alas!  used  in  de- 
fending something.  The  Chaldaic  )?N,  characterizes 
vegetable  matter. 

The  Arabic  expression  *\j  as  a  defense,  a  rejection, 

gives  rise  to  the  compound  word  A-P\  which  signifies  an 
ironical  hyperbole. 

r|J$  APH.     Sign  of  power  united  to  that  of  speech, 

constitutes  a  root,  which  characterizes  in  a  broad  sense, 
that  which  leads  to  a  goal,  to  any  end  whatsoever;  a  final 
cause.  Hieroglyphically,  this  root  was  symbolized  by  the 
image  of  a  wheel.  Figuratively,  one  deduced  all  ideas  of 
impulse,  transport,  envelopment  in  a  sort  of  vortex,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^Jl  is  an  onomatopoetic  root,  developing 
all  ideas  of  disgust,  ennui,  indignation.  In  the  ancient 
language  it  was  received  in  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebrew 
£]N,  and  represented  the  adverbial  relation  ichy. 

t\tf       That  part  of  the  mind  called  apprehension,  or 


298          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

comprehension.  In  a  very  restricted  sense,  the  nose:  figu- 
ratively, wrath. 

Fptf  Action  of  conducting  to  an  end,  of  involving, 
enveloping  in  a  movement  of  rotation;  action  of  seizing 
with  the  understanding;  action  of  being  impassioned, 
excited,  etc. 

V£  ATZ.  Every  idea  of  bounds,  limits;  of  repres- 
sing force,  term,  end. 

The  Arabic  ^\  expresses  in  general,  that  which  is 
closed  and  restricted;  the  central  point  of  things.  The 
Chaldaic  ftf  contains  every  idea  of  pressure  and  com- 

pression. The  analogous  Arabic  root  ^Je>\  in  the  modern 
idiom,  signifies  every  kind  of  doubling,  reiteration.  In 
conceiving  the  root  ^»\  as  representing  the  centre,  sub- 

stance, depth  of  things,  one  finds,  in  its  redoubling  ^U*! 
a  very  secret,  very  hidden  place;  a  shelter,  a  refuge. 

j*)N  Action  of  hastening,  drawing  near,  pushing  to- 
icard  an  end.  .  • 


ACQ.     Every  idea  of  vacuity.     Root  little  used 
in  Hebrew  except  in  composition. 

The  Hebrew  word   p'N  signifies  literally,  a  wild  goat; 
the  Arabic  j'  as  verb,  designates  that  which  is  nauseous. 


AR.  This  root  and  the  one  which  follows  are 
very  important  for  the  understanding  of  the  Hebraic  text. 
The  signs  which  constitute  the  one  in  question  here,  are 
those  of  power  and  of  movement  proper.  Together  they 
are  the  symbol  of  the  elementary  principle,  whatever  it 
may  be,  and  of  all  which  pertains  to  that  element  or  to 
nature  in  general.  Hieroglyphically  "IX  was  represented 
by  the  straight  line,  and  W$  by  the  circular  line.  *1K> 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  299 

conceived  as  elementary  principle,  indicated  direct  move- 
ment, rectilinear;  JTN  relative  movement,  curvilinear, 
gyratory. 

"IN  That  which  belongs  to  the  elementary  principle, 
that  which  is  strong,  vigorous,  productive. 

The  Arabic  j\  offers  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebrew.  It 
is  ardour,  impulse  in  general  :  in  a  restricted  sense,  amor- 
ous ardour  ;  action  of  giving  oneself  to  this  ardour  ;  union 
of  the  sexes. 

*)N  or  IN'  That  which  flows,  that  which  is  fluid  :  a 
river.  The  Chaldaic  *IN  or  "VN  signfies  air. 

"TIN      Fire,  heat;  action  of  burning. 

TIN  Light;  action  of  enlightening,  instructing.  Life, 
joy,  felicity,  grace;  etc. 

T)N  (intcns.)  In  its  excessive  force,  this  root  de- 
velops the  ideas  of  cursing,  of  malediction. 

-TIN       (comp.)  Tapestry,  woven  material. 

mN      (comp.)  A  gathering,  a  mass. 

HN       (comp.)  A  cedar. 

TON  (comp.)  Every  prolongation,  extension,  slack- 
ness. 

or  in  Chaldaic  p"lN    (comp.)  The  earth. 


ASH.  This  root,  as  the  preceding  one,  is  sym- 
bol of  the  elementary  principle  whatever  it  may  be.  It 
is  to  the  root  *1N,  what  the  circular  line  is  to  the  straight 
line.  The  signs  which  constitute  it  are  those  of  power 
and  of  relative  movement.  In  a  very  broad  sense  it  is 
every  active  principle,  every  centre  unfolding  a  circumfer- 
ence, every  relative  force.  In  a  more  restricted  sense  it  is 
fire  considered  in  the  absence  of  every  substance. 

t^N  The  Hebraic  genius  confounds  this  root  with 
the  root  DN,  and  considers  in  it  all  that  which  is  of  the 
basis  and  foundation  of  things;  that  which  is  hidden  in 
its  principle;  that  which  is  absolute,  strong,  unalterable; 
as  the  appearance  of  fire. 


300          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ^1  designates  that  which  moves  with  agi- 
lity, vehemence.  This  idea  ensues  necessarity  from  that  at- 
tached to  the  mobility  of  fire  L^X, 

£*IK  Action  of  founding,  making  solid,  giving  force 
and  vigour. 

(comp.)  Power,  majesty,  splendour. 
(comp.}  Man.    See  'X, 


ATH.  The  potential  sign  united  to  that  of  sym- 
pathy and  of  reciprocity,  constitutes  a  root  which  develops 
the  relations  of  things  to  themselves,  their  mutual  tie, 
their  sameness  or  selfsameness  relative  to  the  universal 
soul,  their  very  substance.  This  root  differs  from  the  root 
[tf  in  what  the  former  designates  as  the  active  existence 
of  being,  I,  and  what  the  latter  designates  as  the  passive 
or  relative  existence,  tliee.  [X  is  the  subject,  following  the 
definition  of  the  Kantist  philosophers  ;  J"IN  is  the  object. 

fitf  That  which  serves  as  character,  type,  symbol, 
sign,  mark,  etc. 

rV)X  or  JTX  The  being,  distinguished  or  manifested 
by  its  sign;  that  which  is  real,  substantial,  material,  con- 
sistent. In  the  Chaldaic,  J"VX  signifies  that  irhich  is,  and 
JT1?  that  which  is  not. 

The  Arabic  ^\  or  ^1  indicates  as  noun,  an  irresis- 
tible argument,  supernatural  sign,  proof;  as  verb,  it  is  the 
action  of  convincing  by  supernatural  signs  or  irresistible 
arguments. 


3  B.  BH.  This  character,  as  consonant,  belongs  to 
the  labial  sound.  As  symbolic  image  it  represents  the 
mouth  of  man,  his  dwelling,  his  interior.  As  gram- 
matical sign,  it  is  the  paternal  and  virile  sign,  that  of  in- 
terior and  active  action.  In  Hebrew,  it  is  the  integral 
and  indicative  article  expressing  in  nouns  or  actions,  as 
I  have  explained  in  my  Grammar,  almost  the  same  more- 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  301 

ment  as  the  extractive  article    D,  but  with  more  force 
and  without  any  extraction  or  division  of  parts. 
Its  arithmetical  number  is  2. 

^2  BA-  Tne  sig11  of  interior  action  united  to  that 
of  power,  image  of  continuity,  forms  a  root,  whence  is 
drawn  all  ideas  of  progression,  gradual  going,  coming; 
of  passage  from  one  place  to  another;  of  locomotion. 

The  Arabic  \>  indicates  in  the  ancient  idiom,  a  move- 
ment of  return. 

N12  Action  of  coming,  becoming,  happening,  bringing 
to  pass;  action  of  proceeding,  going  ahead,  entering,  etc. 

"1XD  (comp.)  That  which  is  put  in  evidence,  is 
manifested,  etc.;  in  its  literal  sense  a  fountain.  See  *O» 

&^&O  (comp.)  That  which  becomes  stagnant,  which 
is  corrupt.  See  Kft. 

22  BB.  Every  idea  of  interior  void,  of  exterior 
swelling. 

3D     Pupil  of  the  eye.   In  Chaldaic,  an  opening,  a  door. 

The  Arabic  ,_•  has  the  same  sense. 

M  Action  of  being  interiorly  void,  empty;  every 
image  of  inanity,  vacuity. 

J2  BG.  That  which  nourishes;  that  is  to  say,  that 
which  acts  upon  the  interior;  for  it  is  here  a  compound 
of  the  root  JIN  united  to  the  sign  D  • 

The  Arabic  &  expresses  in  general  an  inflation,  an 
evacuation ;  it  is  in  a  restricted  sense  in  ^l ,  the  action  of 

permitting,  letting  go.     As  onomatopoetic  root    ^    char- 
acterizes the  indistinct  cry  of  a  raucous  voice. 

^2  BD.  The  root  "IN,  which  characterizes  every 
object  distinct  and  alone,  being  contracted  with  the  sign 
of  interior  activity,  composes  this  root  whence  issue  ideas 


302          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

of  separation,  isolation,  solitude,  individuality,  particular 
existence. 

From  the  idea  of  separation  comes  that  of  opening; 
thence  that  of  opening  the  mouth  which  is  attached  to  this 
root  in  several  idioms,  and  in  consequence,  that  of  chat- 
tering. babbling,  jesting,  boasting,  lying,  etc. 

The  Arabic  JO  signifies  literally  middle,  between.  As 
verb,  this  root  characterizes  the  action  of  dispersing. 


BH.  Onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the 
noise  made  by  a  thing  being  opened,  and  which,  represent- 
ing it  yawning,  offers  to  the  imagination  the  idea  of  a 
chasm,  an  abyss,  etc. 

IPO  An  abyss,  a  thing  whose  depth  cannot  be  fath- 
omed, physically  as  well  as  morally.  See  HPT. 

The  Arabic  *,  as  onomatopoetic  root  characterizes 
astonishment,  surprise.  The  Arabic  word  <u^  which  is 
formed  from  it,  designates  that  which  is  astonishing,  sur- 
prising; that  which  causes  admiration.  V#  signifies  to 
be  resplendent,  and  *l  glorious. 

tO!"O       (comp.)     Marble;  because  of  its  weight.    See 

DH. 

7PQ  (comp.}  A  rapid  movement  which  exalts, 
which  transports,  which  carries  one  beyond  self:  frightful 
terror.  See  /£l« 

OrQ  (comp.)  Everything  which  is  raised,  extend- 
ed, in  any  sense;  as  a  noise,  a  tumult;  a  corps,  a  troop: 
it  is  literally  a  quadruped.  See  DH. 

|fO  (comp.)  Every  guiding  object;  literally  the 
finger. 

]^  BZ.  The  root  ttf,  which  depicts  the  movement 
of  that  which  rises  to  seek  its  point  of  equilibrium,  being 
contracted  with  the  sign  of  interior  activity,  furnishes  all 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  303 

ideas  which  spring  from  the  preeminence  that  one  assumes 
over  others,  of  pride,  presumption,  etc. 

The  Arabic  j-  signifies  literally,  the  action  of  grow- 
ing, sprouting,  putting  forth  shoots. 

PQ  Action  of  rising  above  others,  despising  them, 
humiliating  them:  every  idea  of  disdain,  every  object  of 
scorn. 

TQ  (intens.)  In  its  greatest  intensity,  this  root 
signifies  to  deprive  others  of  their  rights,  of  their  pro- 
perty ;  to  appropriate  them  :  thence  every  idea  of  plunder. 

The  Arabic  jy  has  the  same  sense.  The  word  j\* 
signifies  a  bird  of  prey,  a  vulture. 


H.  This  root  is  used  in  Hebrew  only  in  com- 
position. The  Ethiopic  /i^iA  (baha)  signifies  every  kind 
of  acid,  of  ferment. 

The  Arabic  ^  signifies  in  the  modern  idiom,  to  blow 
water  beticeen  the  lips. 

^rO  (comp.)  Fruit  which  begins  to  mature,  which 
is  still  sour;  an  early  fruit;  metaphorically,  a  thing  which 
annoys,  which  fatigues. 

fPO  (comp.)  The  test  of  a  fruit  to  judge  if  it  is 
ripe;  metaphorically,  any  kind  of  experiment. 

^I"O  (comp.)  An  examination,  a  proof;  in  conse- 
quence, that  which  is  examined,  proved,  elected. 

J23  BT.  The  root  £ON,  which  depicts  a  sort  of  dull 
noise,  of  murmuring,  being  contracted  with  the  sign  of 
interior  activity,  characterizes  that  which  sparkles,  glis- 
tens: it  is  a  vapid  and  thoughtless  locution,  futile  dis- 
course. 

The  Arabic  ^    indicates  that  which  cuts  off  physi- 

cally as  well  as  morally.       The  onomatopoeia  Ja»  ,  char- 
acterizes that  which  falls  and  is  broken. 


304          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

DD3       (intens.)     A  flash  of  wit;  a  spark. 
VQ       (comp.)      Crystal.     That  which  throws  out 
brightness,  sparks.     An  emerald,  marble,  etc. 

^2  BI.  Root  analogous  to  the  roots  N3,  I"O.  ID. 
which  characterize  the  movement  of  a  thing  which  ad- 
vances, appears  evident,  comes,  opens,  etc.  This  applies 
chiefly  to  the  desire  that  one  has  to  see  a  thing  appear,  an 
event  occur,  and  that  one  expresses  by  would  to  God! 

['3  (comp.)  See  J'« 
"VD  (comp.)  See  "O» 
TO  (comp.)  See  fO. 

Tp     BCH.     The  root  TjN  which  develops  all  ideas 

of  compression,  being  united  to  the  sign  of  interior  acti- 
vity, forms  the  root  ?]D,  whose  literal  meaning  is  lique- 
faction, fluxion,  resulting  from  a  somewhat  forceful  grasp, 
as  expressed  by  the  Arabic  &  .  Thence  Tp,  the  action 
of  flowing,  dissolving  in  tears,  weeping.  Every  fluid 
accruing  from  contraction,  from  contrition:  an  overflow- 
ing, a  torrent,  tears,  etc. 

The  Arabic  di»  has  exactly  the  same  meaning. 

Tp3  State  of  being  afflicted  by  pain,  saddened  to 
tears. 


BL.  This  root  should  be  conceived  according 
to  its  two  ways  of  composition  :  by  the  first,  the  root  ^K  , 
which  designates  elevation,  power,  etc.,  is  united  to  the 
sign  of  interior  activity  3J  by  the  second,  it  is  the  sign 
of  extensive  movement  *?,  which  is  contracted  with  the 
root  fcG,  whose  use  is,  as  we  have  seen,  to  develop  all 
ideas  of  progression,  gradual  advance,  etc.  :  so  that  it  is, 
in  the  first  case,  a  dilating  force,  which  acting  from  the 
centre  to  the  circumference,  augments  the  volume  of 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  305 

things,  causing  a  kind  of  bubbling,  swelling;  whereas  in 
the  second  it  is  the  tLmg  itself  which  is  transported  or 
which  is  overthrown  without  augmenting  in  volume. 

^3  Every  idea  of  distention,  profusion,  abundance; 
every  idea  of  expansion,  extension,  tenuity,  gentleness. 
In  a  figurative  sense,  spirituality,  the  human  soul,  the 
universal  soul,  the  All,  GOD. 

The  Arabic  Jj  characterizes  in  a  restricted  sense,  that 
which  humectates,  moistens,  lenifies,  dampens,  and  makes 
fertile  the  earth,  etc. 

^D  (intens.)  From  excess  of  extension  springs 
the  idea  of  lack,  want,  neglect,  weakness,  nothingness:  it 
is  everything  which  is  null,  vain,  illusory:  NOTHING. 

The  Arabic  J»  is  restricted  to  the  same  sense  as  the 
Hebrew,  and  is  represented  by  the  adverbial  relation 
without. 

*?rQ  (comp.)  An  interior  emotion,  trouble,  con- 
fusion, extraordinary  perturbation.  See  fO. 

'TO  Action  of  dilating,  swelling,  boiling,  spreading 
on  all  sides :  a  flux,  an  intumescence,  a  diffusion;  an  inun- 
dation, a  general  swelling. 

Q2  BM.  The  union  of  the  signs  of  interior  and 
exterior  activity,  of  active  and  passive  principles,  consti- 
tutes a  root  little  used  and  very  difficult  to  conceive. 
Hieroglyphically,  it  is  the  universality  of  things:  figur- 
atively or  literally,  it  is  every  elevated  place,  every 
sublime,  sacred,  revered  thing;  a  temple,  an  altar,  etc. 

The  Arabic  +t  signifies  in  a  restricted  sense  the  funda- 
mental sound  of  the  musical  system  called  in  Greek  uxd-n). 
See  Dp. 

?3  BN.  If  one  conceives  the  root  tG,  which  con- 
tains all  ideas  of  progression,  growth,  birth,  as  vested  with 
the  extensive  sign  f,  to  form  the  root  p,  this  root  will 
develop  the  idea  of  generative  extension,  of  production 


306          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

analogous  to  the  producing  being,  of  an  emanation;  if 
one  considers  this  same  root  [3,  as  result  of  the  contrac- 
tion of  the  sign  of  interior  activity  D  with  the  root  |N 
which  characterizes  the  circumscriptive  extent  of  being, 
then  it  would  be  the  symbol  of  every  active  production 
proceeding  from  potentiality  in  action,  from  every  mani- 
festation of  generative  action,  from  the  me. 

P  In  a  figurative  sense  it  is  an  emanation,  intel- 
ligible or  sentient;  in  a  literal  sense  it  is  a  son,  a  forma- 
tion, an  embodiment,  a  construction. 

The  Arabic  ^i  has  exactly  the  same  acceptations  as 
the  Hebrew. 

I'D  Action  of  conceiving,  of  exercising  one's  con- 
ceptive,  intellectual  faculties;  action  of  thinking,  having 
ideas,  forming  a  plan,  meditating;  etc. 

[O  Intelligence;  that  which  elects  interiorly  and 
prepares  the  elements  for  the  edification  of  the  soul.  That 
which  is  interior.  See  *• 


BS.  That  which  belongs  to  the  earth,  expressed 
by  the  root  Dtf  ;  that  which  is  at  the  base. 

The  Arabic  ^  indicates  that  which  suffices,  and  is 
represented  by  the  adverbial  relation  enough. 

D12  Action  of  throwing  down,  crushing,  treading 
upon,  pressing  against  the  ground. 

The  Arabic  ^  signifies  the  action  of  pounding   and 

of  mixing;  ^l  contains  every  idea  of  force,  violences  com- 
pulsion. 

yj   BHO.     Every   idea   of   precipitate,   harsh,   in- 

ordinate movement.     It  is  the  root    JO,  in  which  the 
mother  vowel  has  degenerated  toward  the  material  sense. 

The  Arabic  •»    is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  ex- 
the  bleating,  bellowing  of  animals. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  307 

An  anxious  inquiry,  a  search;  a  turgescence,  a 
boiling;  action  of  boiling,  etc. 

The  Arabic   il   signifies  in  a  restricted  sense,  to  sell 

and  to  buy,  to  make  a  negotiation  ;  i  to  interfere  for  an- 
other. and  to  prompt  him  in  what  he  should  say.  The 
word  il  which  springs  from  the  primitive  root  JD,  con- 
tains all  ideas  of  iniquity  and  of  injustice. 

(comp.)     Action  of  kicking. 

(comp.)  Every  idea  of  domination,  power, 
pride:  a  lord,  master,  absolute  superior;  the  Supreme 
Being. 

"I1O  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  devastation  by  fire, 
annihilation.,  conflagration,  combustion,  consuming  heat: 
that  which  destroys,  ravages;  that  which  makes  desert 
and  arid,  speaking  of  the  earth;  brutish  and  stupid,  speak- 
ing of  men.  It  is  the  root  "IJ7  ,  governed  by  the  sign  of 
interior  activity  2* 

flJD  (comp.)  Action  of  frightening,  striking  with 
terror,  seizing  suddenly. 

JJ2  t»TZ.  Onomatopoeic  and  idiomatic  root  which 
represents  the  noise  that  one  makes  walking  in  the  mud: 
literally,  it  is  a  miry  place,  a  slough, 

The  Arabic  (Jajt  does  not  belong  to  the  onomatopoetic 

root  JO;  it  is  a  primitive  root  which  possesses  all  the 
force  of  the  signs  of  which  it  is  composed.  In  a  general 
sense,  it  characterizes  every  kind  of  luminous  ray  being 
carried  from  the  centre  to  the  circumference.  In  a  res- 
tricted sense  it  expresses  the  action  of  gleaming,  shining; 
of  glaring  at.  As  noun,  it  denotes  embers.  The  Chaldaic 
¥3,  which  has  the  same  elements,  signifies  to  examine, 
scrutinize,  make  a  search. 


Action  of  wading  through  the  mud.    It  is  the 
name  given  to  flax  on  account  of  its  preparation  in  water. 


308          THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

p3  BCQ.  Every  idea  of  evacuation,  of  draining. 
It  is  the  root  pN  united  to  the  sign  of  interior  action  3. 

plD  Action  of  evacuating,  dissipating,  making 
scarce. 

The  Arabic  Jl»  signifies  eternal;  li  to  eternize. 

*^2  BR.  This  root  is  composed  either  of  the  ele- 
mentary root  IN.  united  to  the  sign  of  interior  activity 
D »  or  of  the  sign  of  movement  proper  "1 »  contracted  with 
the  root  JO;  thence,  first,  every  active  production  with 
power,  every  conception,  every  potential  emanation;  sec- 
ond, every  innate  movement  tending  to  manifest  exteriorly 
the  creative  force  of  being. 

~O  Hieroglyphically,  it  is  the  radius  of  the  circle 
\vhich  produces  the  circumference  and  of  which  it  is  the 
measure:  figuratively,  a  potential  creation:  that  is  to  say 
a  fruit  of  some  sort,  whose  germ  contains  in  potentiality, 
the  same  being  which  has  carried  it:  in  the  literal  sense, 
a  son. 

The  Arabic  j.  signifies  in  a  restricted  sense,  a  con- 
tinent; and  in  a  more  extended  sense,  that  which  is  up- 
right. 

TO  (intens.)  Every  extracting,  separating,  elab- 
orating, purifying  movement:  that  which  prepares  or  is 
prepared;  that  which  purges,  purifies,  or  which  is  itself 
purged,  purified.  Every  kind  of  metal. 

The  Arabic  j»  raised  to  the  potentiality  of  verb,  de- 
velops the  action  of  justifying,  of  purifying. 

"1X3  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  manifestation,  explan- 
ation: that  which  brings  to  light,  that  which  explores,  that 
which  produces  exteriorly.  In  a  very  restricted  sense,  a 
fountain,  a  well. 

"1«"O  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  lucidity,  clarity.  That 
which  is  candid;  resplendent. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  301) 

"113  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  distinction,  eclat, 
purity.  In  a  restricted  sense,  wheat. 

"V3  or  113  (comp.}  In  a  broad  sense,  an  excava- 
tion; in  a  restricted  s^nse,  a  well;  in  a  figurative  sense, 
an  edifice,  citadel,  palace. 


BSH.  This  root,  considered  as  being  derived 
from  the  sign  of  interior  activity  3,  united  to  the  root 
&J>K  which  characterizes  fire,  expresses  every  idea  of  heat 
and  brightness:  but  if  it  is  considered  as  formed  of  the 
root  N3  which  denotes  every  progression,  and  of  the  sign 
of  relative  movement  B%  then  it  indicates  a  sort  of  delay 
in  the  course  of  proceeding. 

The  Arabic  ^  or  ^4  has  also  these  two  acceptations. 
The  word  ^l  which  belongs  to  the  first,  signifies  a 
violence  ;  <JL>  ,  which  belongs  to  the  second,  signifies  void. 

CH3  Action  of  blushing:  experiencing  an  inner  sen- 
timent of  modesty  or  shame:  action  of  delaying,  diverting 
one's  self,  turning  instead  of  advancing. 

IPX3  (comp.}  That  which  is  corrupted.  Thence  the 
Chaldaic  B>lO.  IPO  or  NtP'O,  that  which  is  bad. 


1*TH.     Every  idea  of  inside  space,  place,  con- 
tainer, proper  dwelling,  receptacle,  lodge,  habitation,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^  characterizes  a  thing  detached,  cut, 
pruned,  distributed  in  parts.  By  Ju  is  understood  a  sort 

of  gushing  forth;  by   ^  a  brusque  exit,  a  clashing. 

fi13  Action  of  dwelling,  inhabiting,  passing  the 
night,  lodging,  retiring  at  home;  etc. 

n*3  A  separate  and  particular  place;  a  lodge,  a  habi- 
tation; that  which  composes  the  interior,  the  family:  that 
which  is  internal,  intrinsic,  proper,  local,  etc. 


310          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

J  G.  GH.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to 
the  guttural  sound.  The  one  by  which  I  translate  it,  is 
quite  a  modern  invention  and  responds  to  it  rather  imper- 
fectly. Plutarch  tells  us  that  a  certain  Carvilius  who,  hav- 
ing opened  a  school  at  Rome,  first  invented  or  introduced 
the  letter  G,  to  distinguish  the  double  sound  of  the  C.  As 
symbolic  image  the  Hebraic  ^  indicates  the  throat  of  man, 
any  conduit,  any  canal,  any  deep  hollow  object.  As  gram- 
matical sign,  it  expresses  organic  development  and  pro- 
duces all  ideas  originating  from  the  corporeal,  organs  and 
from  their  action. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  3. 

J{J  GA.  The  organic  sign  J  united  to  the  potential 
sign  S,  constitutes  a  root  which  is  attached  to  all  ideas  of 
aggrandizement,  growth,  organic  development,  augmenta- 
tion, magnitude. 

The  Arabic    U    signifies  literally  to  come. 

nJO  That  which  augments,  becomes  wider,  is 
raised,  slackens,  increases,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 
Grandeur  of  height,  eminence  of  objects,  exaltation  of 
thought,  pride  of  the  soul,  ostentation;  etc. 

*?M  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  liberation,  redemption, 
release,  loosening  of  bonds:  figuratively,  vengeance  for  an 
offense ;  metaphorically,  the  idea  of  remissness,  defilement, 
pollution. 

3J  GB.  The  organic  sign  united  by  contraction  to 
the  root  2N,  symbol  of  every  fructification,  develops,  in 
general,  the  idea  of  a  thing  placed  or  coming  under  another 
thing. 

^  A  boss,  an  excrescence,  a  protuberance:  a  knoll, 
an  eminence;  the  back;  everything  convex. 

D3  or   y\$    A  grasshopper.    See  13* 

DHJ  (intens.)  The  sign  of  interior  activity  being 
doubled,  changes  the  effect  of  the  positive  root  and  presents 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  311 

the  inverse  sense.  It  is  therefore  every  concavity;  a 
trench,  a  recess,  a  furrow:  action  of  digging  a  trench,  of 
hollowing;  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^>-  presents  the  same  sense  as  the  He- 
brew. As  verb  it  is  the  action  of  cutting,  of  castrating. 

JJ  GG.  Every  idea  of  elasticity;  that  which  stretch 
es  and  expands  without  being  disunited. 

The  Arabic   ~a~   contains  the  same  ideas  of  extension. 

JU  or  JU  The  roof  of  a  tent ;  that  which  extends  to 
cover,  to  envelop. 

13  GD.  The  root  iU,  symbol  of  that  which  aug- 
ments and  extends,  united  to  the  sign  of  abundance  born 
of  division,  produces  the  root  1J  whose  use  is  to  depict 
that  which  acts  in  masses,  which  flocks,  agitates  tumul- 
tuously,  assails  in  troops. 

The  Arabic    jr  signifies  literally  to  make  an  effort. 

In  a  more  general  sense  **>  characterizes  that  which  is 
important,  according  to  its  nature;  as  adverbial  relation 
this  root  is  represented  by  very,  much,  many.  The  verb 
aW  signifies  to  be  liberal,  to  give  generously. 

"U  An  incursion,  an  irruption,  literally  and  figura- 
tively. An  incision  in  anything  whatsoever,  a  furrow;  me- 
taphorically, in  the  restricted  sense,  a  kid:  the  sign  of 
Capricorn;  etc. 

TJ  A  nerve,  a  tendon;  everything  that  can  be 
stretched  for  action. 

HJ,  1J  and  ^  GHE,  GOU  and  GHI.  The  organic 
sign  united  either  to  that  of  life,  or  to  that  of  universal 
convertible  force,  or  to  that  of  manifestation,  constitutes 
a  root  which  becomes  the  symbol  of  every  organization. 
This  root  which  possesses  the  same  faculties  of  extension 


312          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

and  aggrandizement  that  we  have  observed  in  the  root  W  • 
contains  ideas  apparently  opposed  to  envelopment  and 
development,  according  to  the  point  of  view  under  which 
one  considers  the  organization. 

The  Arabic  y->  indicates  universal  envelopment,  space, 
atmosphere;  *>•  characterizes  that  which  protects. 

nrU  That  which  organises;  that  which  gives  life  to 
the  organs :  health,  and  metaphorically,  medicine. 

flU  Every  kind  of  organ  dilated  to  give  passage  to 
the  vital  spirits,  or  closed  to  retain  them :  every  expansion, 
every  conclusion:  that  which  serves  as  tegument;  the  body, 
in  general;  the  middle  of  things:  that  which  preserves 
them  as,  the  sheath  of  a  sword ;  etc. 

31J  (comp.)  Action  of  digging,  ploughing.  In  a 
restricted  sense,  a  scarab. 

TIJI  (comp.}  Action  of  making  an  irruption. 
See  "U. 

rU  (comp.}  Action  of  mowing,  removing  with 
a  scythe.  See  U» 

(TlJI  (comp.}  Action  of  ravishing,  taking  by  force. 
See  m. 

VU  A  political  organization;  a  body  of  people;  a 
nation. 

*?W  (comp.}  That  which  brings  the  organs  to  dev- 
elopment. See  *%!» 

"M  (comp.}  An  organic  movement;  an  evolution, 
a  revolution. 

JttJ  (comp.)  That  which  disorganizes;  every  dis- 
solution of  the  organic  system :  action  of  expiring,  of  being 
distended  beyond  measure,  of  bursting. 

*yO       (comp.)     Action  of  closing. 

*Vti  (comp.)  Action  of  prolonging,  of  continuing 
a  same  movement,  a  same  route ;  action  of  voyaging:  action 
of  living  in  a  same  place,  dwelling  there.  See  "U  • 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  313 

PM      (intens.)     See   Btt. 

J  J  GZ.  The  root  ttf ,  which  indicates  the  movement 
of  that  which  tends  to  take  away,  united  to  the  organic 
sign,  constitutes  a  root  whose  use  is  to  characterize  the 
action  by  which  one  suppresses,  takes  away,  extracts  every 
superfluity,  every  growth;  thence  ttJ,  the  action  of  clip- 
ping wool,  shaving  the  hair,  mowing  the  grass;  taking 
away  the  tops  of  things,  polishing  roughness. 

The  Arabic  ^>.  has  the  same  meaning  as  the  Hebrew. 

The  verb  jV  is  applied  in  the  modern  idiom  to  that  which 
is  allowable  and  lawful. 

FIJI  OH.  That  which  is  carried  with  force  toward 
a  place,  toward  a  point;  that  which  inclines  violently  to 
a  thing. 

ITU  Action  of  acting  with  haughtiness,  making  an 
irruption,  rushing  into  a  place,  ravishing  a  thing. 

The  Arabic  root  ^  has  the  same  meaning  in  gen- 
eral; in  particular,  the  verb  fc  signifies  to  swagger. 

|I"U  (com-p.)  An  inclination,  a  defective  propensi- 
ty, a  winding  course. 

Q%    GT.     This  root  is  not  used  in  Hebrew. 
The  Arabic  Ji>-    denotes  a  thing  which  repulses  the 
effort  of  the  hand  which  pushes  it. 

Jp     GHI.     Root  analogous  to  the  roots  HJ  and  U » 
K'J       Valley,  gorge,  depth. 

The  Arabic     ^     indicates  a  place  where  water  re- 
mains stagnant  and  becomes  corrupt  through  standing. 
TJ     (comp.)     A  nerve.    See  TJ. 
yj     (comp.)     See  fU  and  *?J. 
"VJ     (comp.)     That  which  makes  things  endure,  and 


314          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

preserves  them  in  good  condition:  in  a  restricted  sense 
lime. 

7JJ    GCH.     This  root  is  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in 
Arabic. 


GL.  This  root  can  be  conceived  according  to 
its  two  ways  of  composition :  by  the  first,  it  is  the  root  1J> 
symbol  of  all  organic  extension,  united  to  the  sign  of  direct- 
ive movement  *? ;  by  the  second,  it  is  the  organic  sign  J  > 
which  is  contracted  with  the  root  "W >  symbol  of  elevation 
and  expansive  force.  In  the  first  case  it  is  a  thing  which 
is  displayed  in  space  by  unfolding  itself ;  which  is  develop- 
ed, produced,  according  to  its  nature,  unveiled;  in  the 
second,  it  is  a  thing,  on  the  contrary,  which  coils,  rolls, 
complicates,  accumulates,  heaps  up,  envelops.  Here,  one 
can  recognize  the  double  meaning  which  is  always  attached 
to  the  sign  J  under  the  double  relation  of  organic  develop- 
ment and  envelopment. 

*7)  That  which  moves  with  a  light  and  undulating 
movement;  which  manifests  joy,  grace,  and  ease  in  its 
movements.  The  revolution  of  celestial  spheres.  The  orbit 
of  the  planets.  A  wheel;  a  circumstance,  an  occasion. 

That  which  is  revealed,  that  which  appears,  is  uncov- 
ered. 

That  which  piles  up  by  rolling :  the  movement  of  the 
waves,  the  swell;  the  volume  of  anything  whatsoever,  a 
heap,  a  pile;  the  circuit  or  contour  of  an  object  or  a  place : 
its  confines. 

The  Arabic  Jo.  presents  the  same  ideas  of  unfoldment 
and  aggrandizement,  as  much  in  the  physical  as  in  the 
moral :  it  is  also  the  unfolding  of  the  sail  of  a  ship,  as  well 

as  that  of  a  faculty  of  the  soul.  Je>  expresses  at  the  same 
time  the  majesty  of  a  king,  the  eminence  of  a  virtue,  the 
extent  of  anything  whatsoever. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  315 

*?)  or  ^TU  (intcns.)  Excessive  deployment  shown 
in  the  idea  of  emigration,  transmigration,  deportation; 
abandonment  by  a  tribe  of  its  country,  whether  voluntarily 
or  by  force. 

^JO  (comp.)  A  relaxation,  either  in  the  literal  or 
figurative  sense.  See  NJ» 

"TO  Action  of  unfolding  or  of  turning.  Every  evo- 
lution or  revolution. 

^U  An  appearance  caused  by  the  revelation  of  the 
object;  effect  of  a  mirror;  resemblance. 

£JJ  GM.  Every  idea  of  accumulation,  agglomera- 
tion, complement,  height;  expressed  in  an  abstract  sense 
by  the  relations  also,  same,  again. 

The  Arabic  **~  develops,  as  does  the  Hebraic  root, 
all  ideas  of  abundance  and  accumulation.  As  verb,  it  is 
the  action  of  abounding,  multiplying;  as  noun,  and  in  a 

restricted  sense,  «U-  signifies  a  precious  stone,  in  Latin 
gemma. 

jj       GN.     The  organic  sign  united  by  contraction  to 

the  root  fN  or  [1K,  forms  a  root  from  which  come  all 
ideas  of  circuit,  cloture,  protective  walls,  sphere,  organic 
selfsameness. 

P  That  which  encloses,  surrounds  or  covers  all 
parts;  that  which  forms  the  enclosure  of  a  thing;  limits 
this  thing  and  protects  it;  in  the  same  fashion  that  a  sheath 
encloses,  limits  and  protects  its  blade. 

The  Arabic  ^  has  all  the  acceptations  of  the  He- 
braic root.  It  is,  in  general,  everything  which  covers  or 
which  surrounds  another;  it  is,  in  particular,  a  protecting 
shade,  a  darkness,  as  much  physically  as  morally;  a  tomb. 
As  verb,  this  word  expresses  the  action  of  enveloping  with 
darkness,  making  night,  obscuring  the  mind,  rendering 
foolish,  covering  with  a  veil,  enclosing  with  walls,  etc.  In 


310          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

the  ancient  idiom    ^    has  signified  a  demon,  a  devil,  a 

dragon;  jU»-    a  shield;   ^^    bewilderment  of  mind  ;  ^V 


an  embryo  enveloped  in  the  womb  of  its  mother;  <;>. 
a  cuirass,  and  every  kind  of  armour;  etc.  In  the  modern 
idiom,  this  word  is  restricted  to  signify  an  enclosure,  a 
garden. 

QJ  GS.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chaldaie 
draws  from  it  the  idea  of  that  which  is  puffed  up,  swollen, 
become  fat.  DU  or  DU  signifies  a  treasure. 

The  Arabic  ^  designates  an  exploration,  a  studious 
research.  As  verb  it  is  the  action  of  feeling,  groping. 
sounding. 

yj  GH.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  1J  ,  but  present- 
ing the  organism  under  its  material  view  point. 

The  Arabic   *»-     signifies  in  the  modern  idiom  to  be 

hungry.  In  the  ancient  idiom  one  finds  **>•  for  a  sort  of 
beer  or  other  fermented  liquour. 

yjl  Onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root  which  repre- 
sents the  bellowing  of  an  ox. 

n#l  Action  of  opening  the  jaw,  of  bellowing;  every 
clamour,  every  vociferation. 

P\l      (comp.}     Action  of  bursting.    See  13  • 

*?¥$  (comp.}  Action  of  rejecting  from  the  mouth; 
every  idea  of  disgust. 

*y?)  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  noise,  fracas,  mur- 
muring. 

Vfyy  (comp.}  Action  of  troubling,  frightening  by 
clamours  and  vociferations. 

rij  GPH.  All  ideas  of  conservation,  protection, 
guarantee  :  in  a  restricted  sense,  a  body. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  317 

The  Arabic  *Jb»-   develops  the  idea  of  dryness  and  of 

that  which  becomes  dry.    The  verb   oV  signifies  literally, 
to  withdraw  from. 

f|U  Action  of  enclosing,  incorporating,  embodying, 
investing  with  a  body;  that  which  serves  for  defense,  for 
conservation. 

WJ      GTZ.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Ethiopia 
721    (gats)  characterizes  the  form,  the  corporeal  figure, 
the  face  of  things.    The  Arabic  ^^o*-  signifies  to  coat  with 
plaster,  or  to  glaze  the  interior  of  structures. 

p^  GCQ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
JP*  indicates  excrement. 

^J  GR.  The  sign  of  movement  proper  "1,  united 
by  contraction  to  the  root  of  organic  extension  KJ ,  consti- 
tutes a  root  which  presents  the  image  of  every  iterative 
and  continued  movement,  every  action  which  brings  back 
the  being  upon  itself. 

*U  That  which  assembles  in  hordes  to  journey,  or 
to  dwell  together;  the  place  where  one  meets  in  the  course 
of  a  journey.  Every  idea  of  tour,  detour;  rumination;  con- 
tinuity in  movement  or  in  action. 

The  Arabic  j>-  presents  the  idea  of  violent  and  con- 
tinued movement.  It  is  literally,  the  action  of  alluring, 
drawing  to  one's  self,  ravishing.  The  verb  jU  signifies 
to  encroach,  to  usurp. 

Vtt  (intens.)  Duplication  of  the  sign  1,  indicates 
the  vehemence  and  continuity  of  the  movement  of  which 
it  is  the  symbol;  thence,  the  analogous  ideas  of  incision, 
section,  dissection;  of  fracture,  hatching,  engraving;  of 
rumination,  turning  over  in  one's  mind;  of  grinding,  etc. 


318    THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


(comp.)  Every  extending  movement  of  the 
body  or  of  a  member  of  the  body.  Action  of  reaching  out 
full  length. 

^Vtf  Action  of  prolonging,  continuing  an  action. 
See  U. 

£7J  GSH.  This  root  represents  the  effect  of  things 
which  approach,  touch,  contract. 

Wi  Action  of  being  contracted,  made  corporeal, 
dense  and  palpable;  figuratively,  matter  and  that  which 
is  obvious  to  the  senses  :  metaphorically,  ordure,  filth. 

The  Arabic  J^-  denotes  every  kind  of  fracture  and 
broken  thing. 

j^J  GTH.  That  which  exercises  a  force  extensive 
and  reciprocally  increasing  ;  DJI  ,  in  a  restricted  sense, 
a  vice,  a  press. 

The  Arabic  ^>-  expresses  the  action  of  squeezing, 
pressing  in  the  hand,  etc. 


*^  D.  This  character  as  consonant  belongs  to  the 
dental  sound.  It  appears  that  in  its  hieroglyphic  accepta- 
tion, it  was  the  emblem  of  the  universal  quaternary  ;  that 
is  to  say,  of  the  source  of  all  physical  existence.  As  sym- 
bolic image  it  represents  the  breast,  and  every  nourishing 
and  abundant  object.  As  grammatical  sign,  it  expresses 
in  general,  abundance  born  of  division:  it  is  the  sign  of 
divisible  and  divided  nature.  The  Hebrew  does  not  em- 
ploy it  as  article,  but  it  enjoys  that  prerogative  in  Chal- 
daic,  Samaritan  and  Syriac,  where  it  fulfills  the  functions 
of  a  kind  of  distinctive  article. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  4. 


DA.     This  root  which  is  only  used  in  Hebrew 
in  composition,  is  the  analogue  of  the  root  *"?,  which  bears 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  319 

the  real  character  of  the  sign  of  natural  abundance  and 
of  division.  In  Chaldaic  it  has  an  abstract  sense  repre- 
sented by  the  relations  of,  of  which,  this,  that,  of  what. 

The  Arabic  bi:>  characterizes  a  movement  which  is 
propagated  \vithout  effort  and  without  noise. 

Han  (onom.)  Action  of  flying  with  rapidity;  of 
swooping  down  on  something:  thence  Han  a  kite;  HH 
a  vulture. 

(comp.)     See  m, 
(comp.)     See    J"l. 


2^  DB.  The  sign  of  natural  abundance  united  by 
contraction  to  the  root  DX  ,  symbol  of  all  generative  pro- 
pagation, constitutes  a  root  whence  are  developed  all  ideas 
of  effluence  and  influence;  of  emanation,  communication, 
transmission,  insinuation. 

D~l  That  which  is  propagated  and  is  communicated 
by  degrees;  sound,  murmur,  rumour,  discourse;  fermenta- 
tion, literally  and  figuratively;  vapour;  that  which  pro- 
ceeds slowly  and  noiselessly:  calumny,  secret  plot,  con- 
tagion. 

The  Arabic  ^  develops  in  general  the  idea  of  that 
which  crawls,  insinuates  itself,  goes  creeping  along. 

Dan  In  a  figurative  sense,  a  dull  pain,  an  uneasiness 
concerning  the  future. 

D1)"!  In  a  restricted  sense,  a  bear,  on  account  of  its 
slow  and  silent  gait. 

^  DGH.  The  sign  of  natural  abundance  joined 
to  that  of  organic  development,  produces  a  root  whose  use 
is  to  characterize  that  which  is  fruitful  and  multiplies 
abundantly. 

J1      It  is  literally,  the  fish  and  that  which  is  akin. 

JX1  (comp.)  In  considering  this  root  as  composed 
of  the  sigu  "1,  united  by  contraction  to  the  root  Ja<  which 


320          THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

represents  an  acting  thing  which  tends  to  augment,  one 
finds  that  it  expresses,  figuratively,  every  kind  of  solici- 
tude, anxiety,  anguish. 

*P  DD.  Every  idea  of  abundance  and  division; 
of  propagation,  effusion  and  influence;  of  sufficient  rea- 
son, affinity  and  sympathy. 

"P  That  which  is  divided  in  order  to  be  propagated  ; 
that  which  acts  by  sympathy,  affinity,  influence:  literally 
breast,  mammal. 

The  Arabic  ^  indicates  a  pleasing  thing,  game,  or 
amusement. 

Til  Action  of  acting  by  sympathy  and  "by  affinity; 
action  of  attracting,  pleasing,  loving;  sufficing  mutually. 
In  a  broader  sense,  a  chosen  vessel,  a  place,  an  object 
toward  which  one  is  attracted;  every  sympathetic  and 
electrifying  purpose.  In  a  more  restricted  sense,  a  friend, 
a  lover;  friendship,  love;  every  kind  of  flower  and  part- 
icularly the  mandragora  and  the  violet. 


and  I")  DHE  and  DOU.  See  the  root  H  of 
which  these  are  the  analogues  and  which  bear  the  real 
character  of  the  sign  "I. 

*|  ""j  DOU.  Onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root  which 
expresses  a  sentiment  of  pain,  trouble,  sorrow. 

iin  Action  of  suffering,  lamenting,  languishing, 
being  weak. 

The  Arabic  l^  ^f  o  offers  as  onomatopoetic  root, 
the  same  sense  as  the  Hebraic  Vl.  Thence,  in  Hebrew  as 
well  as  in  Syriac,  Ethiopic  and  Arabic,  a  mass  of  words 
which  depict  pain,  anguish,  affliction  ;  that  which  is  infirm 
and  calamitous.  Thence,  in  ancient  Celtic,  the  words  dol 
(mourning),  dull  (lugubrious);  in  Latin,  dolor  (painx. 
dolere  (to  feel  pain)  ;  in  the  modern  tongues,  their  num 
berless  derivatives. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  321 

DH"!  (camp.)  That  which  overwhelms  with  aston- 
ishment; every  sudden  calamity,  astounding  and  stu- 
pifying. 

"H  and  nil   Pain,  languor,  debility. 
1H       Metaphorically,   that   which   is   sombre,   lugu- 
brious, funereal,  gloomy;  mourning. 

J1*"|  DH.  Every  idea  of  forced  influence,  impulsion, 
constraint. 

The  Arabic  £3  contains  the  same  meaning  in  general. 

In  particular  ^-J^^   is  a  sort  of  exclamation  to  command 
secrecy  or  to  impose  silence  upon  someone:  hush! 

Jim  or  ITn      Action  of  forcing,  necessitating,  con- 
straining; action  of  expulsion,  evacuation;  etc. 
fTH      That  which  constrains. 
'PTT      Separation,  violent  impulsion. 

(com p.)     Every  idea  of  excitement, 
(comp.)     An  impression,  an  extreme  oppres- 
sion. 

[^        DT.     This  root  is  not  used  in  Hebrew. 
The  Arabic   b>$    contains  the  idea  of  rejection  and 
expulsion. 

1*1  DI.  The  sign  of  natural  abundance  united  to 
that  of  manifestation,  constitutes  the  true  root  character- 
istic of  this  sign.  This  root  develops  all  ideas  of  suffi- 
ciency and  of  sufficient  reason ;  of  abundant  cause  and  of 
elementary  divisibility. 

m  or  H  That  which  is  fecund,  fertile,  abundant, 
sufficient;  that  which  contents,  satisfies,  suffices. 

The  Arabic  ^  or  i  indicates,  in  general,  the  distri- 
bution of  things,  and  helps  to  distinguish  them.  In  parti- 
cular, the  roots »i/L>^  or  o  and  ^Sare  represented  by  the 


322          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

pronominal  demonstrative  relations  this,  that;  etc. 
The  root  ^  which  preserves  a  greater  conformity  with 
the  Hebraic  root  H,  signifies  literally  possession. 

[H  (comp.)  That  which  satisfies  everybody;  that 
which  makes  a  difference  cease;  a  judgment. 

pH  (comp.)  That  which  divides,  that  which  re- 
duces to  pieces.  See  pi  • 

C'*"!     (comp.)     Every  kind  of  trituration.     See   tPTt 

^n  DCH.  The  sign  of  natural  abundance  con- 
tracted with  the  root  TJN,  symbol  of  concentric  movement 
and  of  every  restriction  and  exception,  composes  a  root 
infinitely  expressive  whose  object  is  to  depict  need,  neces- 
sity, poverty  and  all  ideas  proceeding  therefrom. 

The  Arabic  Jp  or  ii^  constitutes  an  onomatopoetic 
and  idiomatic  root  which  expresses  the  noise  made  in  strik- 
ing, beating,  knocking;  which  consequently,  develops  all 
ideas  which  are  attached  to  the  action  of  striking,  as  those 
of  killing,  breaking,  splitting,  etc.  In  a  restricted  sense 

Jb  signifies  to  pillage;  iJs  to  ram  a  gun;  JS  to  push 
with  the  hand. 

T|"l  That  which  is  needy,  contrite,  sad,  poor,  injur- 
ious, calamitous,  vexatious;  etc. 

Tp"l  Action  of  depriving,  vexing  by  privation,  op- 
pressing, beating  unmercifully;  etc. 


)"}  L>L.  This  root,  conceived  as  the  union  of  the 
dgn  of  natural  abundance  or  of  divisibility,  with  the  root 
?K  symbol  of  elevation,  produces  the  idea  of  every  extrac- 
tion, every  removal ;  as  for  example,  when  one  draws  water 
from  a  well,  when  one  takes  away  the  life  of  a  plant ;  from 
this  idea,  proceeds  necessarily  the  accessory  ideas  of  ex- 
haustion and  weakness. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  323 

The  Arabic  J^  contains  the  same  sense  in  general ; 
but  in  particular,  this  root  is  attached  more  exclusively  to 
the  idea  of  distinguishing,  designating,  conducting  some- 
one toward  a  distinct  object.  When  it  is  weakened  in  Ji 
it  expresses  no  more  than  a  distinction  of  scorn;  disdain, 
degradation. 

^1  That  which  extracts;  to  draw  or  to  attract  above ; 
that  which  takes  away,  drains;  that  which  attenuates,  con- 
sumes, enfeebles:  every  kind  of  division,  disjunction;  empti- 
ness effected  by  extraction;  any  kind  of  removal.  In  a 
very  restricted  sense,  a  seal;  a  vessel  for  drawing  water. 

Q"l  DM.  The  roots  which,  by  means  of  any  sign 
whatever,  arise  from  the  roots  DN  or  DX,  symbols  of  active 
or  passive  principles,  are  all  very  difficult  to  determine 
and  to  grasp,  on  account  of  the  extent  of  meaning  which 
they  present,  and  the  contrary  ideas  which  they  produce. 
These  particularly  demand  close  attention.  It  is,  at  first 
glance,  universalized  sympathy;  that  is  to  say,  a  homo- 
geneous, thing  formed  by  affinity  of  similar  parts,  and  hold- 
ing to  the  universal  organization  of  being. 

D"l  In  a  broader  sense,  it  is  that  which  is  identical; 
in  a  more  restricted  sense,  it  is  blood,  assimilative  bond 
between  soul  and  body,  according  to  the  profound  thought 
of  Moses,  which  I  shall  develop  in  my  notes.  It  is  that 
which  assimilates,  which  becomes  homogeneous;  mingles 
with  another  thing:  thence  the  general  idea  of  that  which 
is  no  longer  distinguishable,  which  ceases  to  be  different ; 
that  which  renounces  its  seity,  its  individuality,  is  ident- 
ified with  the  whole,  is  calm,  quiet,  silent,  asleep. 

The  Arabic  »>  has  developed  in  the  ancient  language 
the  same  general  ideas ;  but  in  the  modern  idiom  this  root 
has  received  acceptations  somewhat  different,  ^o  expresses 
in  general  a  glutinous,  sticky  fluid.  In  particular,  as  noun, 
it  is  blood;  as  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  covering  with  a 


324          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

glutinous  glaze.  From  the  latter  meaning  results,  in  the 
analogue  *i  ,  that  of  contaminating,  calumniating,  cov- 
ering with  blame. 

D11  State  of  universalized  being,  that  is,  having 
only  the  life  of  the  universe;  sleeping,  being  silent,  calm; 
metaphorically,  taciturn,  melancholy.  Action  of  assimilat- 
ing to  one's  self,  that  is,  thinking,  imagining,  conceiv- 
ing; etc. 

|"|        DN.     The    sign    of    sympathetic    divisibility 

united  to  the  root  ftf,  symbol  of  the  circumscriptive  act- 
ivity of  being,  constitutes  a  root  whose  purpose  is  to 
characterize,  in  a  physical  sense,  every  kind  of  chemical 
parting  in  elementary  nature;  and  to  express,  in  a  moral 
sense,  every  contradictory  judgment,  resting  upon  litigious 
things. 

The  Arabic  £p  offers  the  same  sense  in  general.  In 
particular,  ^i  expresses  a  mucous  excretion.  One  under- 

stands by  ^b    the  action  of  judging. 

fn  Every  idea  of  dissension;  literally  as  well  as 
figuratively;  every  idea  of  debate,  bestowal,  judgment. 

JH       A  cause,  a  right,  a  judgment,  a  sentence. 


DS.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew. 
The  Arabic  ,jo  designates  that  which  is  hidden,  con- 
cealed; which  acts  in  a  secret,  clandestine  manner. 

y"|  DH.  Every  thing  which  seeks  to  expose  itself, 
to  appear.  This  root  is  not  used  in  Hebrew  except  in 
composition.  The  Arabic  «i  characterizes  that  which 
pushes,  that  which  puts  in  motion. 

#1  or  Hjn  Perception  of  things,  consequently,  un- 
derstanding. knowledge. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  325 

(comp.)  The  root  #1  united  by  contraction 
to  the  root  T|N  symbol  of  restriction,  expresses  that  which 
is  no  more  sentient,  that  is  extinct,  obscure,  ignorant. 

rn  DPH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
»Ji  or  l>j  expresses  a  sort  of  rubbing  by  means  of  which 

one  drives  away  cold,  and  is  warmed,  ^j*  is  also  in  Arabic, 
an  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root,  formed  by  imitation 
of  the  noise  that  is  made  by  a  stretched  skin  when  rubbed 
or  struck.  The  Hebrew  renders  this  root  by  the  analogue 
f]fi »  We  represent  it  by  the  words  drum,  tympanum;  to 

beat  a  drum;  etc.  In  the  modern  Arabic  ^Ja  signifies  a 
tambourine,  and  also  a  base  drum. 

The  Chaldaic  signifies  a  thing  which  is  smooth  as  a 
board,  a  table.  One  finds  in  Hebrew  '£TT  for  scandal, 
evil  report,  shame. 

Y*]       DTZ.     Every  idea  of  joy  and  hilarity. 

The  Arabic  ^z  characterizes  the  action  of  shaking 
a  sieve. 

p"T  Action  of  living  in  abundance;  transported 
with  joy. 

pT  DCQ.  Every  idea  of  division  by  break,  frac- 
ture; that  which  is  made  small,  slender  or  thin,  by  division : 
extreme  subtlety.  This  root  is  confounded  often  with 
the  root  p*l  • 

The  Arabic     Ji    develops  the  same  ideas. 
*Tn      Action  of  making  slender,  subtle;  etc, 

•^  DR.  This  root,  composed  of  the  sign  of  abund- 
ance born  of  division,  united  to  the  elementary  root  "M 
characterizes  the  temporal  state  of  things,  the  age,  cycle, 


326          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

order,  generation,  time.    Thence  Tl,  every  idea  of  cycle, 
period,  life,  customs,  epoch,  generation,  abode. 

"Til  Action  of  ordering  a  thing,  disposing  of  it  fol- 
lowing a  certain  order  ;  resting  in  any  sphere  whatsoever  ; 
dwelling  in  a  place  ;  living  in  an  age  :  that  which  circulates, 
that  which  exists  according  to  a  movement  and  a  regulated 
order.  An  orb,  universe,  world,  circuit;  a  city. 

Til  (intens.)  The  broad  and  generalized  idea  of 
circulating  without  obstacle,  of  following  a  natural  move- 
ment, brings  forth  the  idea  of  liberty,  the  state  of  being 
free,  the  action  of  acting  without  constraint. 

The  Arabic  j*  has  lost  almost  all  the  general  and 
universal  acceptations  of  the  Hebrew;  this  ancient  root 
has  preserved  in  the  modern  idiom  only  the  idea  of  a 
fluxion,  of  yielding  plentifully,  particularly  in  the  action 
of  milking. 


DSH.     Every  idea  of  germination,  vegetation, 
elementary  propagation. 

BH1  In  a  broad  sense,  action  of  giving  the  seed;  and 
in  a  more  restricted  sense  that  of  thrashing  the  grain, 
triturating. 

The  Arabic  j*s  has  the  same  meaning  as  the  Hebrew 

vh. 


DTH.  Everything  issued  for  the  purpose  of 
sufficing,  satisfying,  serving  as  sufficient  reason. 

m     A  law,  an  edict,  an  ordinance. 

In  the  modern  idiom,  the  Arabic  ^>  is  limited  to 
signifying  a  shower;  a  humid,  abundant  emission:  broth. 


p|  E.  HE.  This  character  is  the  symbol  of  universal 
life.  It  represents  the  breath  of  man,  air,  spirit,  soul ;  that 
which  is  animating,  vivifying.  As  grammatical  sign,  it 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  327 

expresses  life  and  the  abstract  idea  of  being.  It  is,  in  the 
Hebraic  tongue,  of  great  use  as  article.  One  can  see  what 
I  have  said  in  my  .Gjammar  under  the  double  relation  of 
determinative  and  emphatic  article.  It  is  needless  to  re- 
peat these  details. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  5. 


HA.  Every  evident,  demonstrated  and  deter- 
mined existence.  Every  demonstrative  movement  express- 
ed in  an  abstract  sense  by  the  relations  here,  there;  this, 
that. 

The  Arabic     U  expresses  only  an  exclamation. 


HB.  Every  idea  of  fructification  and  of  pro- 
duction. It  is  the  root  DN  of  which  the  sign  of  life  fi 
spiritualizes  the  sense. 

3\n  It  is  again  the  root  D1N  ,  but  which,  considered 
now  according  to  the  symbolic  sense,  offers  the  image  of 
being  or  nothingness,  truth  or  error.  In  a  restricted  sense, 
it  is  an  exhalation,  a  vapoury-rising,  an  illusion,  a  phan- 
tom, a  simple  appearance;  etc. 

The  Arabic    ^*  characterizes  in  general,  a  rising,  a 

spontaneous  movement,  an  ignition.     As  verb,     ^*    sig- 
nifies to  be  inflamed. 

JJ1  HEG.  Every  idea  of  mental  activity,  move- 
ment of  the  mind,  warmth,  fervour.  It  is  easy  to  recognize 
here  the  root  JN,  which  the  sign  of  life  spiritualizes. 

Jin  Every  interior  agitation;  that  which  moves,  stirs, 
excites;  eloquence,  speech,  discourse;  an  oratorical  piece. 

The  Arabic  £>  conserves  of  the  Hebraic  root,  only 
the  general  idea  of  an  interior  agitation.  As  noun,  it  is 
literally  a  dislocation:  as  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  changing 
of  place,  of  expatriation. 


328          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

^pj  HED.  Like  the  root  "IN,  of  which  it  is  only 
a  modification,  it  is  attached  to  all  ideas  of  spiritual  ema- 
nation, the  diffusion  of  a  thing  absolute  in  its  nature,  as 
the  effect  of  sound,  light,  voice,  echo. 

The  Hebraic  root  is  found  in  the  Arabic  iU  which  is 
applied  to  every  kind  of  sound,  murmur,  noise;  but  by 
natural  deviation  the  Arabic  root  having  become  onomato- 
poeiic  and  idiomatic,  the  verb  .u  signifies  to  demolish. 
cast  doum,  overthrow,  by  similitude  of  the  noise  made  by 
the  things  which  are  demolished. 

"Vn  Every  idea  of  eclat,  glory,  splendour,  -najesty, 
harmony,  etc. 


HEH.  This  is  that  double  root  of  life  of  which 
I  have  spoken  at  length  in  my  Grammar  and  of  which  I 
shall  still  have  occasion  to  speak  often  in  my  notes.  This 
root,  which  develops  the  idea  of  Absolute  Being,  is  the 
only  one  whose  meaning  can  never  be  either  materialized 
or  restricted. 

N1H  In  a  broad  sense,  the  Being,  the  one  who  is: 
in  a  particular  sense,  a  being;  the  one  of  whom  one  speaks, 
represented  by  the  pronominal  relations  he,  that  one.  this. 

The  Arabic     ^»    has  the  same  meaning. 

fTifl  Preeminently,  the  verbal  root,  the  unique  verb 
To  be-bcing.  In  an  universal  sense,  it  is  the  Life  of  life. 

mn  This  root  materialized  expresses  a  nothingness, 
an  abyss  of  evils,  a  frightful  calamity. 

PITT  This  root,  with  the  sign  of  manifestation  t. 
replacing  the  intellectual  sign  1,  expresses  the  existence 
of  things  according  to  a  particular  mode  of  being.  It  is 
the  absolute  verb  to  be-existing. 

iTfl  Materialized  and  restricted,  this  same  root  de- 
signates a  disastrous  accident,  a  misfortune. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  320 

^  HOU.  The  sign  of  life  united  to  the  convertible 
sign,  image  of  the  knot  which  binds  nothingness  to  being, 
constitutes  one  of  the  roots  most  difficult  to  conceive  that 
any  tongue  can  offer.  It  is  the  potential  life,  the  power  of 
being,  the  incomprehensible  state  of  a  thing  which,  not  yet 
existing,  is  found,  nevertheless,  with  power  of  existing. 
Refer  to  the  notes. 

The  Arabic  roots  U,  ^  4.^  j>  having  lost  nearly 
all  the  general  and  universal  ideas  developed  by  the  analog- 
ous Hebraic  roots,  and  conserving  nothing  of  the  intel- 
lectual, with  the  sole  exception  of  the  pronominal  relation 
y>  in  which  some  traces  are  still  discoverable,  are  res- 
tricted to  the  particular  acceptations  of  the  root  iWi 
of  which  I  have  spoken  above;  so  that  they  have  received 
for  the  most  part  a  baleful  character.  Thus  Oj*  has  de- 
signated that  which  is  cowardly,  weak  and  pusillanimous; 
}*  that  which  is  unstable,  ruinous;  the  verb  ^^  has 
signified  to  pass  on,  to  die,  to  cease  being.  The  word  \y> 
which  designated  originally  potential  existence,  designates 
only  air,  wind,  void;  and  this  same  existence,  degraded 
and  materialized  more  and  more  in  Jyb.*  has  been  the 
synonym  of  hell. 

Din  (comp.)  This  is  the  abyss  of  existence,  the 
potential  power  of  being,  universally  conceived. 

The  Arabic  »^»  having  retained  only  the  material  sense 
of  the  Hebraic  root  designates  a  deep  place,  an  abyss; 
aerial  immensity. 

pH  (comp.)  ftubstancc,  existence;  the  faculties 
which  hold  to  life,  to  being. 

Jf]  HEZ.  Movement  of  ascension  and  exaltation 
expressed  by  the  root  ?N,  being  spiritualized  in  this  one, 


330          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTORED 

becomes  a  sort  of  mental  delirium,  a  dream,  a  sympathetic 
somnambulism. 

The  Arabic  ^»  restricted  to  the  material  sense  sig- 
nifies to  shake,  to  move  to  and  fro,  to  wag  the  head;  etc. 

pj^  HEH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
,,»  indicates  only  an  exclamation. 

gn     HET.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew. 

The  Arabic  j>  or  Ja*  indicates,  according  to  the 
value  of  the  signs  which  compose  this  root,  any  force  what- 
soever acting  against  a  resisting  thing.  In  a  restricted 

sense  ^  signifies  to  menace;  Ja»  to  persevere  in  labour; 
Ik*  to  struggle;  Ja*  struggle.  See  ION. 

^  HE  I.  Root  analogous  to  the  vital  root  HH 
whose  properties  it  manifests. 

The  Arabic      ^    represents  the  pronominal  relation 

she,  that,  this.  As  verb,  this  root  develops  in  ^  or  ^ 
the  action  of  arranging,  of  preparing  things  and  giving 
them  an  agreeable  form. 

N'il.  See  NT?  of  which  this  is  the  feminine:  she, 
that,  this. 

*n  Onomatopoetic  .root  expressing  all  painful  and 
sorrowful  affections. 

'in  Interjective  relation,  represented  by  oh!  alas! 
ah!  woe! 

"?|n  HECH.  See  the  root  T|N  of  which  this  is  but 
a  modification. 

The  Arabic  j*  expresses  a  rapid  movement  in  march- 
ing ;  »*!»  indicates,  as  onomatopoetic  root,  the  noise  of  the 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  331 

sabre  when  it  cleaves  the  air.    These  two  words  character- 
ize a  vigorous  action. 
T]T»  See   7]»K. 


HEL.  The  sign  of  life,  united  by  contraction 
to  the  root  ^X,  image  of  force  and  of  elevation,  gives  it 
a  new  expression  and  spiritualizes  the  sense.  Hieroglyph- 
ically,  the  root  *?rr  is  the  symbol  of  excentric  movement, 
of  distance;  in  opposition  to  the  root  T|n,  which  is  that  of 
concentric  movement,  of  nearness:  figuratively,  it  char- 
acterizes a  sentiment  of  cheerfulness  and  felicity,  an  ex- 
altation ;  literally,  it  expresses  that  which  is  distant,  ulte- 
rior, placed  beyond. 

The  Arabic  J»  develops  in  general,  the  same  ideas  as 
the  Hebrew.  As  verb,  it  is,  in  particular,  the  action  of 
appearing,  of  beginning  to  shine,  in  speaking  of  the  moon. 
As  adverbial  relation  it  is,  in  a  restricted  sense,  the  inter- 
rogative particle. 

*?n  or  ^n  That  which  is  exalted,  resplendent,  elevat- 
ed, glorified,  worthy  of  praise;  that  which  is  illustrious, 
celebrated,  etc. 

^H  and  ^H  (intens.}  That  which  attains  the  de- 
sired end,  which  recovers  or  gives  health,  which  arrives  in 
or  conducts  to  safety. 

QJ1  HEM.  Universalized  life:  the  vital  power  of 
the  universe.  See  in  • 

DH  Onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root,  which  indi- 
cates every  kind  of  tumultuous  noise,  commotion,  fracas. 

The  Arabic  ++  characterizes,  in  general,  that  which 
is  heavy,  painful,  agonizing.  It  is  literally  a  burden,  care, 
perplexity.  As  verb,  >  expresses  the  action  of  being 
disturbed,  of  interfering,  of  bustling  about  to  do  a  thing. 

DIPT    Action  of  exciting  a  tumult,  making  a  noise, 


332          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

disturbing  with  clamour,  with  an  unexpected  crash  ;  every 
perturbation,  consternation,  trembling,  etc. 

jj-J      HEN.     The  sign  of  life  united  to  that  of  indi- 

vidual and  produced  existence,  constitutes  a  root  which 
characterizes  existences  and  things  in  general;  an  object, 
a  place;  the  present  time;  that  which  falls  beneath  the 
senses,  that  which  is  conceived  as  real  and  actually  ex- 
citing. 

[H  That  which  is  before  the  eyes  and  whose  exist- 
ence is  indicated  by  means  of  the  relations,  here,  behold, 
in  this  place  ;  then,  in  that  time. 

The  Arabic  ^  has  in  general  the  same  ideas  as  the 
Hebrew.  It  is  any  thing  distinct  from  others;  a  small 
part  of  anything  whatsoever.  As  onomatopoetic  and  idio- 

matic root  ^  expresses  the  action  of  lulling,  literally  as 
well  as  figuratively. 

pfl  Every  idea  of  actual  and  present  existence: 
state  of  being  there,  present  and  ready  for  something: 
realities,  effects  of  all  sorts,  riches. 


HES.  Onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root  which 
depicts  silence.  The  Arabic  ^  seems  to  indicate  a  sort 
of  dull  murmur,  as  when  a  herd  grazes  in  the  calm  of 
night. 

yj-|     HEH.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Arabic 
*A    indicates  a  violent  movement;  a  sudden  irruption. 

r|H     HEPH.     This  root,  which  the  Hebraic  genius 
employs  only  in  composition,  constitutes  in  the  Arabic  ^J* 
an  onomatopoeia  which  depicts  a  breath  that  escapes  quick- 
ly and  lightly.    As  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  grazing,  touch 
ing  slightly,  slipping  off,  etc.    See  £)N  » 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  333 

HETZ.  The  Chaldaic  pH  signifies  a  branch, 
and  the  Arabic  c;A>  a  thing  composed  of  several  others 
united  by  contraction. 

This  root  expresses  also  in  the  verb  ^^  the  action 
of  gleaming  in  the  darkness,  in  speaking  of  the  eyes  of 
a  wolf. 


HECQ.  The  Arabic  j*  indicates  an  extra- 
ordinary movement  in  anything  whatsoever;  an  impetuous 
march,  a  vehement  discourse;  a  delirium,  a  transport. 

^pj  HEE.  The  sign  of  life  united  by  contraction 
to  the  elementary  root  *1N,  constitutes  a  root  which  dev- 
elops all  ideas  of  conception,  generation  and  increase, 
literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 

As  onoinatopoetic  root,  the  Arabic  ^  depicts  a  noise 
which  frightens  suddenly,  which  startles.  It  is  literally, 
the  action  of  crumbling,  or  of  causing  to  crumble. 

in  Conception,  thought;  pregnancy;  a  swelling,  in- 
tumescence, inflation;  a  hill,  a  mountain;  etc. 


HESH.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
^     signifies  literally  to  soften,  to  become  tender.     As 

onoinatopoetic  root,  ^p>    indicates  a  tumultuous  concourse 
of  any  kind  whatsoever. 


HETH.  Every  occult,  profound,  unknown 
existence. 

nin  Action  of  conspiring  in  the  darkness,  of  schem- 
ing, of  plotting. 

The  Arabic  £>  expresses  the  accumulation  of  clouds 
and  the  darkness  which  results. 


334          THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

•)  O.  OU.  W.  This  character  has  two  very  distinct 
vocal  acceptations,  and  a  third  as  consonant.  Following 
the  first  of  these  vocal  acceptations,  it  represents  the  eye 
of  man,  and  becomes  the  symbol  of  light;  following  the 
second,  it  represents  the  ear,  and  becomes  the  symbol  Of 
sound,  air,  wind :  as  consonant  it  is  the  emblem  of  water 
and  represents  taste  and  covetous  desire.  If  one  considers 
this  character  as  grammatical  sign,  one  discovers  in  it, 
as  I  have  already  said,  the  image  of  the  most  profound, 
the  most  inconceivable  mystery,  the  image  of  the  knot 
which  unites,  or  the  point  which  separates  nothingness  and 
being.  In  its  luminous  vocal  acceptation  1,  it  is  the  sign 
of  intellectual  sense,  the  verbal  sign  par  excellence,  as  I 
have  already  explained  at  length  in  my  Grammar:  in  its 
ethereal  verbal  acceptation  «|,  it  is  the  universal  convertible 
sign,  which  makes  a  thing  pass  from  one  nature  to  another ; 
communicating  on  one  side  with  the  sign  of  intellectual 
sense  1,  which  is  only  itself  more  elevated,  and  on  the 
other,  with  that  of  material  sense  J7,  which  is  only  itself 
more  abased:  it  is  finally,  in  its  aqueous  consonantal 
acceptation,  the  link  of  all  things,  the  conjunctive  sign. 
It  is  in  this  last  acceptation  that  it  is  employed  more  part 
icularly  as  article.  I  refer  to  my  Grammar  for  all  the  de- 
tails into  which  I  cannot  enter  without  repeating  what  I 
have  already  said.  I  shall  only  add  here,  as  a  matter 
worthy  of  the  greatest  attention,  that  the  character  1, 
except  its  proper  name  11,  does  not  begin  any  word  of 
the  Hebraic  tongue,  and  consequently  does  not  furnish 
any  root.  This  important  observation,  corroborating  all 
that  I  have  said  upon  the  nature  of  the  Hebraic  signs, 
proves  the  high  antiquity  of  this  tongue  and  the  regularity 
of  its  course.  Because  if  the  character  1  is  really  the 
universal  convertible  sign  and  the  conjunctive  article,  it 
should  never  be  found  at  the  head  of  a  root  to  constitute 
it.  Now  it  must  not  appear,  and  indeed  it  never  does  ap- 
pear, except  in  the  heart  of  nouns  to  modify  them,  or 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  335 

between  them  for  the  purpose  of  joining  them,  or  in  front 
of  the  verbal  tenses  to  change  them. 

The  arithmetical  number  of  this  character  is  6. 

The  Arabic,  Ethiopic,  Syriac  and  Chaldaic,  which  are 
not  so  scrupulous  and  which  admit  the  character  1  at  the 
head  of  a  great  number  of  words,  prove  by  this  that  they 
are  all  more  modern,  and  that  they  have  long  since  cor- 
rupted the  purity  of  the  principles  upon  which  stood  the 
primitive  idiom  from  which  they  descend ;  this  idiom  pre- 
served by  the  Egyptian  priests,  was  delivered  as  I  have 
said,  to  Moses  who  taught  it  to  the  Hebrews. 

In  order  to  leave  nothing  to  be  desired  by  the  ama- 
teurs of  etymological  science,  I  shall  state  briefly,  the  most 
important  roots  which  begin  with  this  character,  in  the 
dialects  which  possess  them  and  which  are  nearly  all  ono- 
matopoetic  and  idiomatic. 

J$1  QUA.  Onomatopoetic  root  which,  in  the  Syriac 
lo(o(o  expresses  the  action  of  barking.  Thence  the  Arabic 
^Ij  signifies  a  hungry  dog. 

2^  OUB.  Every  idea  of  sympathetic  production, 
of  emanation,  of  contagion.  The  Arabic  Vi  j  signifies  in  a 
particular  sense,  to  communicate  a  plague  or  any  other 
contagious  malady. 

$]  OUG.  Aromatic  cane.  The  Arabic,  which  pos- 
sesses this  root,  is  derived  from  Uj  action  of  striking, 
of  amputating;  of  castrating  animals. 

•^  OUD.  In  Arabic  jj  every  idea  of  love,  friend- 
ship, inclination.  It  is  the  sympathetic  root  "Vi"l. 

In  the  modern  idiom  $j  signifies  to  cultivate  friend- 
ship for  some  one,  to  give  evidence  of  kindness. 


336          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

p}^      OUH.     In  Chaldaic  and  in  Arabic,  it  is  an  ono- 
matopoetic  root  which  expresses  a  violent  condition  of  the 

soul;  »lj  is*  applied  to  a  cry  of  extreme  pain;   fly>^   denotes 

the  roaring  of  a  lion.     The  verb     j>j   characterizes  that 
which  is  torn,  lacerated,  put  to  rout. 

^      WOU.     Is  the  name  itself  of  the  character   1 
in  a  broad  sense  it  is  every  conversion,  every  conjunction; 
in  a  restricted  sense,  a  nail. 

ft      OUZ.     The  Syriac    {;o    signifies  literally  a  goose. 

The  Arabic  ^  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  repre- 

sents every  kind  of  excitation.     Thence  the  verbs  jj  and 

j*j  which  signify  to  excite,  to  act  with  violence,  to  trample 
under  foot,  etc. 

pj  '     OUH.     Onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  in  the 
Arabic  r-yj  a  Jwarseness  of  the  voice.    The  Ethiopic  root 


(whi)   characterizes  a  sudden  emission  of  light,  a 
manifestation.    It  is  the  Hebraic  root  mil. 

J^1)  OUT.  The  sound  of  a  voice,  clear  and  shrill,  a 
cry  of  terror;  the  kind  of  pressure  which  brings  forth  this 

cry:  in  Arabic  I»j  and  JaV,  . 

^  WI.  Onomatopoetic  root  which  expresses  dis- 
dain, disgust,  in  Chaldaic,  Syriac  and  Ethiopic:  it  is  the 
same  sentiment  expressed  by  the  interjective  relation  fi! 

The  Arabic       ,    has  the  same  sense.    In  the  Ethiopic 


idiom    (jpjj  (win)  signifies  wine;  in  ancient  Arabic     o  j 
is  found  to  designate  a  kind  of  raisin. 

^P       OUCH.     Every  agglomeration,  every  movement 
given  in  order  to  concentrate;  in  Arabic   £9 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  337 

The  compound  iijTj,  signifies  properly  a  roll. 


OUL.  Onoinatopoetic  root  which  depicts  a 
drawling  and  plaintive  sound  of  the  voice;  in  Arabic  Jjj  ; 
in  Syriac  (0^0X0-  Thence  the  Arabic  4j  every  idea  of 

sorrow,  anxiety  of  mind.  The  word  j*^  which  expresses 
that  which  holds  to  intention,  opinion,  is  derived  from  the 
root  •?«. 

Q^       OUM.     Every   kind   of   consent,   assent,   con- 
formity. 

The  Arabic   A   signifies  to  form,  make  similar   to  a 
model.    It  is  the  root  DN  • 

The  verb    Lj     signifies  to  make  a  sign. 

P      OUN.     Every  kind  of  delicacy,  corporeal  soft- 
ness, indolence.     The  Arabic    Jj   signifies  to  languish,  to 


become  enervated.  The  Ethiopic  ^Q^P  (thouni)  signifies 
to  be  corrupted  through  pleasures. 

Q*)  OUS.  Onomatopoetic  root  representing  the 
noise  that  one  makes  speaking  in  the  ear:  thence,  the 

Arabic  ,r>o  an  insinuation,  a  suggestion.  When  this 
word  is  written  ^fj*  then  it  signifies  a  temptation  of  the 
devil. 

y]  OUH.  Onomatopoetic  root  representing  the 
noise  of  a  violent  fire,  conflagration ;  thence,  the  Ethiopic 
Q(SP  (wohi],  action  of  inflaming;  the  Arabic  *c*  or  »^j 
howling;  crackling  of  a  furnace;  a  clamour,  etc. 

m       OUPH.     Onomatopoetic  root  which  expresses 


338          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

a  sentiment  of  pride  on  the  part  of  one  who  sees  himself 
raised  to  dignity,  decoration,  power.  Thence,  the  Arabic 
^jUj  every  idea  of  exterior  ornament,  dress,  assumed 
power. 

V]  OUTZ.  Every  idea  of  firmness,  solidity,  con- 
sistence, persistence:  thence,  the  Arabic  Jp)  which  sig- 
nifies in  general,  that  which  resists,  and  in  particular 
necessity. 

The  verb  I*  signifies  to  vanquish  resistance;  also,  to 
make  expiation  ;  a  religious  ablution. 

|2  ^  OUCQ.  Onomatopoetic  root  to  express  literal- 
ly the  voice  of  birds,  in  Arabic  Jj  and  *»yj  :  figuratively, 
that  which  is  made  manifest  to  the  hearing. 

*•)*)  OUR.  Onomatopoetic  root  which  depicting  the 
noise  of  the  air  and  the  wind,  denotes  figuratively,  that 

which  is  fanned,  puffed  with  wind,  vain.    In  Arabic  »jj. 
The  verb  jj^j     which  appears  to  be  attached  to  the 

root  "IN,  characterizes  the  state  of  that  which  is  sharp, 
which  cleaves  the  air  with  rapidity. 

{J7^  OUSH.  Onomatopoetic  root  which  expresses 
the  confused  noise  of  several  things  acting  at  the  same 
time:  it  is  confusion,  diffusion,  disordered  movement,  in 

Arabic 


The  verb    ^ij    expresses  the  action  of  tinting  with 
many  colours,  of  painting. 

f]*\    OUTH.     Onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the 
difficulty  of  being  moved  and  the  moaning  which  follows 

this  difficulty  :  thence,  in  Arabic  ^  f  It,  and  j^  ,  all 
idea  of  lesion  in  the  limbs,  numbness,  decrepitude,  afflic- 
tion,, etc. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  339 

]  Z.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
hissing  sound,  and  is  applied  as  onoinatopoetic  means,  to 
all  hissing  noises,  to  all  objects  which  cleave  the  air.  As 
symbol,  it  is  represented  by  the  javelin,  dart,  arrow;  that 
which  tends  to  an  end :  as  grammatical  sign,  it  is  the  de- 
monstrative sign,  abstract  image  of  the  link  which  unites 
things.  The  Hebrew  does  not  employ  it  as  article;  but  in 
Ethiopic  it  fulfills  the  functions  of  the  demonstrative 
article. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  7. 

ji^J  ZA.  Every  idea  of  movement  and  of  direction; 
noise,  the  terror  which  results  therefrom :  a  dart;  a  lumin- 
ous ray;  an  arrow,  a  flash. 

The  Arabic  \j\j  indicates,  as  onomatopoetic  root  the 
state  of  being  shaken  in  the  air,  the  noise  made  by  the 
thing  shaken. 

DNt  A  wolf,  on  account  of  the  luminous  darts  which 
flash  from  its  eyes  in  the  darkness. 

fiNf  Demonstrative  relation  expressed  by  this,  that. 
See  UN 

21  ZB.  The  idea  of  reflected  movement  contained 
in  the  root  Nf  united  by  contraction  to  that  of  all  genera- 
ting propagation,  represented  by  the  root  2$,  forms  a 
root  whose  object  is  to  depict  every  swarming,  tumultu- 
ous movement,  as  that  of  insects;  or  every  effervescent 
movement  as  that  of  water  which  is  evaporated  by  fire. 

The  Arabic  ^j  develops  the  same  ideas  as  the  He- 
brew. As  verb,  this  root  expresses  in  the  ancient  idiom, 
the  action  of  throwing  out  any  excretion,  as  scum,  slime, 
etc.  In  the  modern  idiom  it  signifies  simply  to  be  dried,  in 
speaking  of  raisins. 

Dlf  Action  of  swarming  as  insects;  of  boiling,  seeth- 
ing, as  water. 


340          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

jf  ZG.  That  which  shows  itself,  acts  exteriorly; 
such  as  the  bark  of  a  tree,  the  shell  of  an  egg,  etc. 

The  Arabic  r-j  designates  the  butt-end  of  a  lance.  As 
onomatopoetic  root  ™*j  characterizes  a  quick,  easy  move- 
ment ;  «*_j ,  the  neighing  of  a  horse. 

^[]  ZD.  That  which  causes  effervescence,  excites 
the  evaporation  of  a  thing;  every  idea  of  arrogance,  pride. 

"II?  Action  of  boiling,  literally;  of  being  swollen, 
puffed  up  icith  pride,  figuratively,  to  act  haughtily. 

HTf  IT*  IT  ZHE>  zou»  zo-  Every  demonstrative, 
manifesting,  radiant  movement :  every  objectivity  ex- 
pressed in  an  abstract  sense  by  the  pronominal  relations 
this,  that,  these,  those. 

The  Arabic  ej  expresses  the  action  of  shedding 
light,  of  shining. 

n*tf      This,  that. 

fTf  That  which  is  shown,  appears,  shines,  reflects 
the  light;  in  an  abstract  sense,  an  object. 

3fTf  (comp.)  Gold,  on  account  of  its  innate  bright- 
ness. 

DiTf      (comp.)     That  which  is  loathsome. 

IPff  (comp.)  That  which  radiates  communicates, 
manifests  the  light.  See  *litf. 

1?  Absolute  idea  of  objectivity;  everything  from 
which  light  is  reflected. 

JTIf  (comp.)  A  prism;  by  extension,  the  angle  of 
anything  whatsoever. 

71f  (comp.)  Action  of  diverging;  by  extension, 
wasting,  neglecting.  See  *7f* 

pf        (comp.)      Corporeal  objectivity.     See  |?« 

Jttf       (comp.)     See  Jft. 

"D?      (comp.)      Every  idea  of  dispersion.     See  "1?  • 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  341 

ff  ZZ.  Every  movement  of  vibration,  reverbera- 
tion; every  luminous  refraction. 

The  Arabic  jj    as  onomatopoetic   root  develops  the 

same  ideas.     The  verb   ^jjj  denotes  the  conduct  of  an 
arrogant  man. 

fif  Action  of  vibrating,  being  refracted  as  the  light, 
shining. 

W  Splendour,  reflection  of  light,  luminous  bright- 
ness. 

fit  ZH.  Every  difficult  movement  made  with  effort ; 
that  which  is  done  laboriously ;  a  presumptuous,  tenacious 
spirit. 

The  Arabic  £J  develops  the  same  ideas.  The  verb  £j 
expresses  in  general  a  vehement  action  of  any  nature 
whatsoever;  in  particular  to  rain  in  torrents. 

ffl  ZT.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic  J*j 
is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the  noise  made 
by  insects  when  flying. 

^Ht  (comp.)  That  which  is  difficult  to  put  in  move- 
ment, slow  in  being  determined.  That  which  drags, 
creeps;  which  is  heavy,  timid,  etc. 

If  ZI.  Root  analogous  to  roots  Nf»  lit.  if;  but  whose 
sense  is  less  abstract  and  more  manifest,  It  is  in  general, 
that  which  is  light,  easy,  agreeable;  that  which  is  sweet, 
gracious ;  that  which  shines  and  is  reflected  as  light.  Every 
idea  of  grace,  of  brightness. 

The  Arabic  ^j  develops  in  general,  all  ideas  which 
have  relation  with  the  intrinsic  qualities  of  things.  As 
noun  ^j characterizes  the  form,  aspect,  manner  of  being; 

as  verbal  j  expresses  the  action  of  assuming  an  aspect, 
of  being  clothed  in  form,  of  having  quality,  etc. 


342          THE  HEBKAIG  TONGUE  RESTORED 

IT  In  Chaldaic,  splendour,  glory,  majesty,  joi/, 
beauty:  in  Hebrew  it  is  the  name  of  the  first  month  of 
spring. 

Pf  (comp.)  An  animal;  that  is  to  say,  a  being 
which  reflects  the  light  of  life.  See  ft* 

f*t      (comp.  )    An  armour:  that  is  to  say  a  resplendent 

body.    The  Arabic   jlj   signifies  to  adorn. 

p'f  (comp.)  A  flash  of  lightning,  a  quick,  rapid 
flame,  a  spark,  etc. 

DV  (comp.)  An  olive  tree,  the  olive  and  the  oil 
which  it  produces;  that  is  to  say,  the  luminous  essence. 

^7f     ZCH.     The  demonstrative  sign  united  by  con- 

traction to  the  root  T]tf  ,  symbol  of  all  restriction  and  ex- 
ception, constitutes  an  expressive  root  whose  purpose  is 
to  give  the  idea  of  that  which  has  been  pruned,  cleaned, 
purged,  disencumbered  of  all  that  might  defile. 

Tjf  Every  purification,  every  refining  test  ;  that  which 
is  clean,  innocent,  etc. 

The  Arabic  iJj  contains  the  same  ideas.    As  noun  £  j 

designates  that  which  is  pure,  pious  ;  as  verb,  ^  j  charac- 
terizes the  state  of  that  which  abounds  in  virtues,  in  good 
works. 


ZL.  The  demonstrative  sign  united  to  the  root 
7K,  symbol  of  every  elevation,  of  every  direction  upward, 
forms  a  root  whence  are  developed  all  ideas  of  elonga- 
tion, prolongation;  consequently,  of  attenuation,  weak- 
ness; also  of  prodigality,  looseness,  baseness,  etc. 

'nr  Action  of  icasting,  profaning,  relaxing;  of  rend- 
ering base,  weak,  feeble,  etc. 

In  a  restricted  sense  the  Arabic  verb  Jj  signifies  to 
stumble,  to  make  false  steps. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  343 

Qf  ZM.  That  which  gives  form,  figure;  that  which 
binds  many  parts  together  to  form  a  whole. 

The  Arabic  *jj  contains  the  same  ideas.    As  onomato- 

poetic  and  idiomatic  root,  it  is  in  the  Arabic  ^y-j  a  dull 
noise,  a  rumbling. 

D1  A  system,  a  composition,  a  scheme :  every  work 
of  the  understanding,  good  or  bad  :  a  plot,  a  conspiracy,  etc. 

?f     ZN.     The  demonstrative  sign  united  to  the  root 

fX,  symbol  of  the  moral  or  physical  circumscription  of 
the  being,  constitutes  a  root  which  develops  two  distinct 
meanings  according  as  they  are  considered  as  mind  or 
matter.  From  the  view  point  of  mind,  it  is  a  moral  mani- 
festation which  makes  the  faculties  of  the  being  under- 
stood and  determines  the  kind;  from  that  of  matter,  it 
is  a  physical  manifestation  which  delivers  the  body  and 
abandons  it  to  pleasure.  Thence: 

ff  Every  classification  by  sort  and  by  kind  accord- 
ing to  the  faculties:  every  pleasure  of  the  body  for  its 
nourishment:  figuratively,  all  lewdness,  fornication,  de- 
bauchery: a  prostitute,  a  place  of  prostitution,  etc. 

The  Arabic  <jj  expresses  a  sort  of  suspension  of 
opinion  in  things  of  divers  natures.  As  onomatopoetic 
root  £>j  ,  describes  a  murmuring. 

fit  Action  of  being  nourished,  feeding  the  body ;  or 
metaphorically  the  action  of  enjoying,  making  abuse, 
prostituting  one's  self. 

Q7      ZS.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

y|    ZH.    This  root,  which  is  only  the  root  fit  or  if, 

inclined  toward  the  material  sense,  develops  the  idea  of 
painful  movement,  of  agitation,  anxiety;  of  trouble  caused 
by  fear  of  the  future. 


344          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

In  a  restricted  sense  the  Arabic  ilj  signifies  to  act 
like  a  fox,  to  use  round  about  ways. 

pit  Action  of  being  troubled,  fearful,  trembling  in 
expectation  of  misfortune.  Action  of  being  tormented, 
disquieted. 

rtjfl  Trouble,  agitation  of  mind,  fatigue;  that  which 
is  the  consequence,  sweat. 

D.Jtt  (comp.)  Violent  and  general  agitation;  that 
which  results,  foam  :  figuratively,  rage  indignation. 

£]Jtf  (  comp.  )  Tumult  of  irascible  passions  ;  tempest, 
storm;  etc. 

pjft  (comp.)  Great  visible  commotion:  outburst  of 
voices,  clamour,  loud  calling. 

*Utt  (comp.  )  Ebbing,  waning  :  diminution,  exiguity; 
that  which  is  slender,  moderate,  small. 

F|}  ZPH.  That  which  is  sticky,  gluey;  that  which 
exercises  a  mutual  action;  literally,  pitch. 

It  is,  in  the  Arabic  oj?  an  onomatopoetic  root  which 

denotes  the  effect  of  a  puff  of  wind.  The  verb  jj  expresses 
the  action  of  being  carried  away  by  the  wind. 

fpf  Action  of  being  attached,  of  experiencing  a 
mutual,  reciprocal  sentiment. 


M 


ZTZ.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 


P}     ZCQ.     Every  idea  of  diffusion  in  time  or  space. 

The  Arabic  JJ  as  onomatopoetic  root  denotes  the 
action  of  pecking. 

pf  A  chain,  suite,  flux;  a  draught  of  anything  what- 
soever. That  which  spreads,  glides,  flows  in  space  or  time. 
Thence,  years,  old  age,  and  the  veneration  which  is  at- 
tached to  it  :  water  and  the  purity  which  ensues  :  a  chain 
and  the  strength  which  attends  it;  an  arrow,  etc. 


•  <J         RADICAL  VOCABULARY  345 

In  a  restricted  sense,  the  Arabic  Jjj  signifies  a  leather 
bottle  wherein  one  puts  any  kind  of  liquid.  It  is  doubtless 
the  Hebrew  word  pt?  or  the  Chaldaic  pD,  a  sack. 

*\]  ZR.  The  demonstrative  sign  united  to  that  of 
movement  proper,  symbol  of  the  straight  line,  constitutes 
a  root  which  develops  the  idea  of  that  which  goes  from 
the  centre,  spreads,  disperses  in  every  sense,  radiates, 
leaves  a  sphere,  or  any  enclosure  whatsoever  and  becomes 
foreign. 

*tt  Every  dispersion,  dissemination,  ventilation : 
that  which  is  abandoned  to  its  own  movement,  which  goes 
from  the  centre,  diverges :  in  a  broad  sense,  a  stranger,  an 
adversary,  a  barbarian:  in  a  more  restricted  sense,  a 
fringe,  a  girdle. 

The  Arabic  jj  having  lost  all  the  primitive  ideas 
contained  in  this  root,  has  preserved  only  those  which  are 
attached  to  the  word  girdle  and  is  restricted  to  signifying 
the  action  of  girding,  tying  a  knot,  binding,  etc. 

*Yl?  Action  of  being  disseminated,  separated  from 
the  centre,  abandoned  to  its  own  impulsion ;  considered  as 
estranged,  alienated,  scorned,  treated  as  enemy;  action  of 
sneezing,  etc. 

(PJ  ZSH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
j*jj  signifies  a  lout,  a  boorish  fellow;  lacking  manners 
and  politeness. 

f*\]     ZTH.    Every  objective  representation  expressed 
by  the  pronominal  relations  this,  that,  these,  those. 
This,  that. 


p  E.  H.  CH.  This  character  can  be  considered 
under  the  double  relation  of  vowel  or  consonant.  As  vocal 
sound  it  is  the  symbol  of  elementary  existence  and  repre- 


346          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED  - 

sents  the  principle  of  vital  aspiration  :  as  consonant  it  be- 
longs to  the  guttural  sound  and  represents  the  field  of 
man,  his  labour,  that  which  demands  on  his  part  any  effort, 
care,  fatigue.  As  grammatical  sign  it  holds  an  interme- 
diary rank  between  H,  life,  absolute  existence,  and  D,  life, 
relative  and  assimilated  existence.  It  presents  thus,  the 
image  of  a  sort  of  equilibrium  and  equality,  and  is  attached 
to  ideas  of  effort,  labour,  and  of  normal  and  legislative 
action. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  8. 


HA.  Root  is  analogous  with  the  root  ITT,  which 
bears  the  real  character  of  the  sign  H.  This  is  used  more 
under  its  onomatopoetic  relation,  to  denote  the  violence  of 
an  effort,  a  blow  struck,  an  exclamatory  cry. 

2H  HEB.  The  sign  of  elementary  existence  united 
to  the  root  DK,  symbol  of  all  fructification,  forms  a  root 
whose  purpose  is  to  describe  that  which  is  occult,  hidden, 
mysterious,  secret,  enclosed,  as  a  germ,  as  all  elementary 
fructification:  if  the  root  Dtf  is  taken  in  its  acceptation 
of  desire  to  have,  the  root  in  question  here,  will  develop 
the  idea  of  an  amorous  relation,  of  fecundation. 

This  is  why  the  Arabic  ^>-  taken  in  a  restricted 
sense,  signifies  to  love;  whereas  in  a  broader  sense  this  root 
develops  all  ideas  of  grain,  germ,  semence,  etc. 

3ft  or  !)2ft  (intens.)  To  hide  mysteriously,  to  im- 
pregnate, to  "brood,  etc. 

In  a  restricted  sense,  the  Arabic    ^U     signifies  to 

become  partial,  to  favour.       As  onomatopoetic  root    «.*>• 
suggests  the  noise  of  whetting  a  sabre. 

31ft  (comp.  )  One  who  hides,  who  keeps  the  property 
of  another;  a  debtor. 

Jfj  HEG.  Every  hard  and  continued  action;  every 
turbulent  movement  :  every  transport  of  joy  ;  joust,  game, 
popular  fete,  tournament,  carousal. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  347 

JH  or  .1311  (intens.)  Every  idea  of  fete,  of  solemnity, 
where  all  the  people  are  acting. 

It  is,  in  the  Arabic    «-  ,  the  action  of  visiting  a  holy 

place,  going  on  a  pilgrimage;  in  ~i.  ,  that  of  trotting. 

Jin  Action  of  whirling,  dancing  in  a  ring,  devoting 
one's  self  to  pleasure,  celebrating  the  games.  Metaphoric- 
ally, an  orbit,  a  circumference,  a,  sphere  of  activity,  the 
terrestrial  globe. 


HED.  The  power  of  division,  expressed  by  the 
root  "TK  which,  arrested  by  the  effort  which  results  from 
its  contraction  with  the  elementary  sign  IT,  becomes  the 
image  of  relative  unity.  It  is  literally,  a  sharp  thing,  a 
point,  a  summit. 

The  Arabic  J&>  presents  in  general,  the  ideas  of  term- 
inating, determining,  circumscribing,  limiting.  It  is,  in 
a  more  restricted  sense,  to  grind;  metaphorically,  to  pun- 

ish. This  root  being  reinforced  in  the  verb  .U.  ,  expresses 
the  action  of  breaking  through  and  excavating  the  ground. 
As  noun,  j^-  signifies  literally  the  cheek. 

"Til  The  point  of  anything  whatever.  Everything 
which  pricks,  everything  which  is  extreme,  initial:  meta- 
phorically, a  drop  of  wine;  gaiety,  lively  and  piquant. 

Tin  Action  of  speaking  cleverly,  uttering  witticisms, 
giving  enigmas. 

"!*n     Enigma,  parable. 


HEH.     This   root,    analogue    of   the   root  NH, 
is  little  used.    The  characteristic  root  of  the  sign  is  1H. 

^p  HOU.  Elementary  existence  in  general  ;  in  part- 
icular, that  which  renders  this  existence  manifest  and 
obvious;  that  which  declares  it  to  the  senses. 

In  the  analogue    *?-  ,  this  root  has  not  conserved  the 


348          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

intellectual  ideas  of  the  Hebrew;  but  being  reinforced  in 
p.  ,  it  has  presented  what  is  most  profound  in  elementary 
existence,  chaos. 

mn  and  'in  All  ideas  of  indication,  elementary 
manifestation,  declaration;  action  of  uncovering  that 
which  was  hidden,  etc. 

3in     (comp.)     See  2n, 

Jin      (comp.)     See  JH1, 

Tin     (comp.)     See  "in. 

fin       (comp.)     The  horizon.    See  fH. 

mn     (comp.)     Action  of  hooking.    See  nn. 

JOin     (comp.)     Action  of  mending,  sewing.     SeeDH. 

'Tin     (comp.)     See  ^H. 

Din     (comp.)     See  Dn. 

Din  (comp.)  Action  of  sympathizing,  condoling. 
See  Dn, 

pn  (comp.)  That  which  is  exterior,  or  which  ac£s 
exteriorly;  that  which  leaves  the  ordinary  limits  and 
which,  in  an  abstract  sense  is  expressed  by  the  relations 
beyond,  outside,  extra,  except,  etc. 

"Yin     (comp.}     See  *in. 
(comp.)      See  BTT. 


}J1  HEZ.  The  sign  of  elementary  existence,  united 
to  that  of  demonstration,  or  of  objective  representation, 
forms  a  very  expressive  root  whose  purpose  is  to  bring 
forth  all  ideas  of  vision,  visual  preception,  contemplation. 

The  Arabic  ^  in  losing  all  the  intellectual  accepta- 
tions of  the  Hebraic  root,  has  conserved  only  the  physical 
ideas  which  are  attached  to  it  as  onomatopoetic  root,  and 
is  limited  to  designating  any  kind  of  notch,  incision  ;  meta- 

phorically, scrutiny,  inspection.     The  verb     j*.    signifies 
literally  to  pierce. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  349 

Ml  Action  of  seeing,  regarding,  considering,  con- 
templating; the  aspect  of  things;  a  seer,  a  prophet,  one 
who  sees. 

fill     (intens.)     A  vision;  a  flash  of  lightning. 

HI!  Extent  of  the  sight,  the  horizon;  boundaries, 
the  limits  of  a  thing  ;  a  region. 

Jill  HEH.  Every  idea  of  effort  applied  to  a  thing, 
and  of  a  thing  making  effort;  a  hook,  fish-hook,  ring;  a 
thorn-bush. 

mn  That  which  is  pointed,  hooked;  that  which  ex- 
ercises any  force  whatever,  as  pincers,  hooks,  forceps: 

thence  the  Arabic  verb   jU.  ,  to  penetrate,  to  go  deeply 
into. 


HET.  The  sign  of  effort  united  to  that  of  re- 
sistance, constitutes  a  root  whence  come  all  ideas  of  frus- 
trated hope;  of  failure,  sin,  error. 

The  Arabic    ^»-    signifies  properly  to  cut  in  small 

morsels;  and  Ja».,  to  pose,  depose;  place,  replace:  to  lower, 
humble,  reduce,  etc. 

DH  or  DtDn  (intens.)  That  which  misses  the  mark, 
which  is  at  fault,  which  sins  in  any  manner  whatsoever. 

C01H  (comp.)  The  root  tOH,  symbol  of  effort  united  to 
resistance,  (being  considered  from  another  viewpoint,  furn- 
ishes the  restricted  idea  of  spinning,  and  in  consequence, 
every  kind  of  thread,  and  of  sewing;  so  that  from  the  sense 
of  sewing,  comes  that  of  mending;  metaphorically,  that  of 
amendment,  restoration:  whence  it  results  that  the  word 
NDH,  which  signifies  a  sin,  signifies  also  an  expiation. 

^p  HEI.  Elementary  life  and  all  ideas  thereunto 
attached.  This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the  root  1H. 

rW  Action  of  living  in  the  physical  order,  action  of 
existing:  that  which  lives;  every  kind  of  animal,  living 
being,  beast.  Physical  life,  the  animality  of  nature. 


350          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ^  develops  every  idea  contained  in  the 
Hebraic  root. 

*?TT  (comp.)  Vital  force;  that  which  maintains,  pro- 
cures, sustains  existence  :  elementary  virtuality;  the  phys- 
ical faculties,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively:  power  which 
results  from  force;  virtue  which  is  born  of  courage;  an 
army,  that  which  is  numerous,  valorous,  redoubtable;  a 
fort,  fortress,  rampart;  a  multitude,  etc. 

Tjpj  HECH.    The  sign-  of  elementary  existence  united 

to  that  of  assimilative  and  relative  existence,  forms  a  root 
which  is  related  to  all  perceptions  of  judgment  and  which 
develops  all  interior  ideas. 

The  Arabic  root  ^*Ju.  ,  having  lost  nearly  every  moral 
idea  which  comes  from  the  primitive  root  and  being  con- 
fined to  purely  physical  ideas,  is  limited  to  express  as 
noun,  an  itching,  a  friction;  and  as  verb,  the  analogous 
action  of  itching,  scratching. 

t]H  That  which  grasps  forms  inwardly  and  which 
fixes  them,  as  the  sense  of  taste;  that  which  is  sapid;  sen- 
sible to  savours;  the  palate,  throat:  that  which  covets, 
desires,  hopes,  etc. 


HEL.  This  root,  composed  of  the  sign  of  ele- 
mentary existence  united  to  the  root  ^tf,  symbol  of  ex- 
tensive force  and  of  every  movement  which  bears  upward, 
produces  a  mass  of  ideas  which  it  is  very  difficult  to  fix 
accurately.  It  is,  in  general,  a  superior  effort  which  causes 
a  distention,  extension,  relaxation  ;  it  is  an  unknown  force 
which  breaks  the  bonds  of  bodies  by  stretching  thorn. 
breaking  them,  reducing  them  to  shreds,  or  by  dissolving 
them,  relaxing  them  to  excess. 

*?n  Every  idea  of  extension,  effort  made  upon  a  thing 
to  extend,  develop,  stretch  or  conduct  it  to  a  point  or  end  : 
a  twinge,  a  pain:  a  persevering  movement;  hope,  expecta- 
tion. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  351 

The  Arabic  J*.  develops,  in  general,  all  the  ideas 
contained  in  the  Hebraic  root.  In  a  restricted  sense  it  is 
the  action  of  loosening,  relaxing,  releasing,  resolving,  ab- 
solving, etc.  When  this  root  receives  the  guttural  rein- 
forcement, it  expresses  in  Ji.,  the  state  of  privation,  in- 
digence ;  that  which  lacks,  which  is  wanting  in  any  manner 
whatsoever. 

^H  and  ^H  (intens.)  Distention,  distortion,  contor- 
tion; endurance,  solution  of  continuity;  an  opening,  a 
wound:  extreme  relaxation,  dissolution;  profanation,  pol- 
lution; weakness,  infirmity,  debility;  vanity,  effeminate 
dress,  ornament;  a  flute;  a  dissolute  dance,  a  frivolous 
amusement;  etc. 

*?in  or  *?*n  Action  of  suffering  from  the  effect  of  a 
violent  effort  made  upon  one's  self;  action  of  being  twisted, 
stretched,  action  of  being  confined,  bringing  into  the 
world;  being  carried  in  thought  or  action  toward  an  end; 
producing  ideas:  action  of  tending,  attending,  hoping, 
placing  faith  in  something;  action  of  disengaging,  resolv- 
ing, dissolving,  opening,  milking,  extracting,  etc. 

*?*PT  (comp.)    Elementary  virtuality.    See  TT. 

QfJ  HEM.  The  sign  of  elementary  existence,  sym- 
bol of  every  effort  and  every  labour,  united  to  the  sign  of 
exterior  activity,  and  employed  as  collective  and  generaliz- 
ing sign,  forms  an  important  root  whose  purpose  is  to 
signify,  in  a  broad  sense,  a  general  envelopment  and  the 
warmth  which  results,  considered  as  an  effect  of  con- 
tractile movement. 

DH  Idea  of  that  which  is  obtuse;  curved,  hot,  ob- 
scure; enveloping,  striking;  a  curvature;  dejection;  a 
compressive  force:  natural  heat,  solar  fire,  torrefaction  and 
the  burnish  which  follows;  blackness:  that  which  heats, 
literally  or  figuratively;  generative  ardour,  amorous  pas- 
sion, wrath,  etc. 


352          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ^  ,  having  lost  to  a  certain  point,  the 
intellectual  ideas  developed  by  the  Hebraic  root,  is  limited 
to  expressing  the  particular  ideas  of  warmth  and  heating ; 
when  reinforced  by  the  guttural  aspiration  in  ^  ,  it  sig- 
nifies literally  to  be  corrupted,  spoiled,  putrefied. 

Did  Action  of  enveloping,  seizing  by  a  contractile 
movement,  exercising  upon  something  a  compressive  force; 
heating;  rendering  obscure.  In  a  restricted  sense,  a  wall, 
because  it  encloses;  a  girdle,  because  it  envelops;  in  gen- 
eral, every  curved,  round  figure;  simulacrum  of  the  sun, 
etc. 

Jp     HEN.    The  composition  of  this  root  is  conceived 

in  two  ways,  according  to  the  first,  the  sign  n,  which 
characterizes  every  effort,  every  difficult  and  painful 
action,  being  contracted  with  the  onomatopoetic  root  ftf , 
image  of  pain,  expresses  the  idea  of  a  prayer,  a  supplica- 
tion, a  grace  to  grant  or  granted :  according  to  the  second, 
the  same  sign,  symbol  of  elementary  existence,  being  united 
to  that  of  individual  and  produced  existence,  becomes  a 
sort  of  reinforcement  of  the  root  |(1,  and  designates  all 
proper  and  particular  existences  whether  in  time  or  space. 
[H  That  which  results  from  prayer;  as  grace,  a 
favour;  that  which  is  exorable,  which  allows  itself  to  re- 
lent; that  which  is  clement,  merciful,  full  of  pity:  that 
which  is  easy,  a  good  bargain,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^  develops,  as  the  Hebraic  root,  all 
ideas  of  kindness,  mercy,  tenderness,  clemency.  This  root 
in  reinforcing  itself  in  y*.  designates  separation,  seclu- 
sion; it  is,  literally,  a  place  for  travellers,  a  hostelry.  As 
onomatopoetic  root,  ^  expresses  the  action  of  speaking 
through  the  nose. 

f H  Every  separate  intrenched  place :  a  cell,  a  hospice, 
a  fort,  a  camp.  Action  of  living  apart,  having  one's  own 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  353 

residence,  being  fixed,  intrenched,  and  consequetly  to  be- 
siege, to  press  the  enemy,  etc. 


HES.  Every  silent,  secret  action;  that  which 
is  done  with  connivance  ;  that  which  is  confided,  trusted  or 
said  secretly. 

DIPT  Action  of  conniving  at  a  thing,  of  sympathizing; 
of  conspiring:  a  place  of  refuge,-  a  shelter,  etc.  It  is  also 
the  action  of  making  effort  upon  one's  self,  of  experiencing 
an  interior  movement  of  contrition. 

The  diverse  acceptations  of  the  Hebraic  root  are  di- 
vided in  the  analogous  Arabic  words  ^^-  f  (JO*.  f  ^.  and 
^a^.  ,  in  which  they  modify  themselves  in  diverse  manners. 
Considered  as  verb,  (J*~  signifies  to  feel,  to  have  the  sen- 
sation of  some  thing;  (Je*-  to  act  with  celerity,  i.  to 


diminish  in  volume,  to  be  contracted,  shrunken;  (jA±.   to 
particularize,  etc. 

yj-|  HEH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
*•»  indicates  a  grievous  and  painful  sensation. 

H|1  HEPII.  Every  idea  of  protective  covering  given 
to  a  thing  ;  a  guarantee,  a  surety. 

The  Arabic  ^i»-  is  an  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic 
root,  which  depicts  that  which  acts  upon  the  surface, 
which  skims,  passes  lightly  over  a  thing.  The  verb  ^i*. 
characterizes  the  condition  of  that  which  becomes  light; 
,jU  anything  which  shivers,  shudders  with  fear,  trembles 
with  fright,  etc. 

f]in  Action  of  covering,  protecting,  brooding,  coax- 
ing. A  roof,  nest,  shelter,  port:  action  of  separating  from 
that  which  harms;  of  combing,  appropriating,  etc. 


354          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

JJ|"]   HETZ.     Every  idea  of  division,  scission,  gash, 

cut;  that  which  acts  from  the  exterior,  as  the  adverbial 
relation  pH  expresses,  outside. 

The  Arabic  t£»-  signifies  to  stimulate;  and  (J&.  to 
keep  stirring,  to  agitate. 

f  H  That  which  divides  by  making  irruption,  passing 
without  from  within  :  an  arrow,  an  obstacle;  a  stone  com- 
ing from  the  sling;  an  axe,  a  dart:  a  division  of  troops.; 
a  quarrel;  etc. 


HECQ.    Every  idea  of  definition,  impression  of 

an  object  in  the  memory,  description,  narration;  that 
which  pertains  to  symbols,  to  characters  of  writing.  In 
a  broader  sense  matter  used  according  to  a  determined 
mode. 

pn  The  action  of  defining,  connecting,  giving  a  dimen- 
sion, deciding  upon  forms;  of  hewing,  cutting  after  a 
model;  to  carve,  to  design:  a  thing  appointed,  enacted, 
decreed,  constituted,  etc. 

The  Arabic  j>.  develops,  in  general,  the  same  ideas 
as  the  Hebraic  root;  but  is  applied  more  particularly  to 
that  which  confirms,  verifies,  certifies;  to  that  which  is 
true,  just,  necessary. 


HER.  The  sign  of  elementary  existence  united 
to  that  of  movement  proper,  symbol  of  the  straight  line, 
constitutes  a  root  which  develops,  in  general,  the  idea  of 
a  central  fire  whose  heat  radiates.  It  is  in  particular,  a 
consuming  ardour,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 

The  Arabic    f  has  exactly  the  same  meaning.    When 

this  root  is  reinforced  by  the  guttural  aspiration  in  ^i. 
it  is  no  longer  applied  to  the  expansion  of  heat,  but  to 
that  of  any  fluid  whatsoever.  In  a  restricted  sense  ji. 
signifies  to  ooze. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  355 

"IP?  and  inn  (intens.)  That  which  burns  and  con- 
sumes, that  which  is  burned  and  consumed;  that  which  is 
arid,  desert,  barren;  every  kind  of  residue,  excrement:  the 
mouth  of  a  furnace,  the  entrance  of  a  cavern  ;  etc. 

*W1  Action  of  consuming  by  fire;  setting  fire,  irri- 
tating: the  ardour  of  /ever,  that  of  wrath;  effect  of  Me 
flame,  its  brilliancy;  Me  &Jws7i  which  mounts  to  the  face; 
candour;  every  purification  by  fire;  etc. 

jnn  (comp.)  That  which  is  sharp,  cutting,  acute, 
stinging,  destructive. 

jy  pj  HESH.  Every  violent  and  disordered  move- 
ment, every  inner  ardour  seeking  to  extend  itself;  central 
fire  ;  avaricious  and  covetous  principle  ;  that  which  is  arid. 

The  Arabic    £>-  develops  in  general,  the  same  ideas 

as  the  Hebrew.  As  onomatopoetic  root,  J>-  expresses  the 
action  of  chopping,  mowing;  when  it  is  reinforced  by  the 
guttural  aspiration,  it  signifies,  in  the  verb  (Jt^  ,  to  pene- 
trate. 

E*in  Action  of  acting  with  vehemence  upon  some- 
thing; every  vivacity;  avidity;  aridity.  This  root,  taken 
in  the  latter  sense  of  aridity,  is  applied  metaphorically, 
to  that  which  is  barren,  which  produces  nothing  ;  to  mutes; 
to  those  who  do  not  speak,  who  keep  silent. 


HETH.  This  root  contains  all  ideas  of  shock, 
terror,  sympathetic  movement  which  depresses  and  dis- 
mays. It  is,  in  general,  the  reaction  of  useless  effort  ;  ele- 
mentary existence  driven  back  upon  itself;  in  particular, 
it  is  a  shudder,  consternation,  terror;  a  sinking,  a  depres- 
sion; a  degradation,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^-  has  not  conserved  the  moral  ideas 
developed  by  the  Hebraic  root.  It  is,  as  onomatopoetic 
root,  an  exciting,  instigating,  provocative  movement. 


356          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

^  T.  This  character,  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
dental  sound.  As  symbolic  image  it  represents  the  shelter 
of  man  ;  the  roof  that  he  raises  to  protect  him  ;  his  shield. 
As  grammatical  sign  it  is  that  of  resistance  and  protection. 
It  serves  as  link  between  "1  and  fi,  and  partakes  of  their 
properties,  but  in  an  inferior  degree. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  9. 


TA.     Every  idea  of  resistance,  repulsion,  rejec- 
tion, reflection;  that  which  causes  luminous  refraction. 
The  Arabic  U>  develops  the  idea  of  every  kind  of  bend- 

ing, inflection.    Thence  the  verb  U  U>  ,  to  bow  down. 

DX£0.  (intens.)  Action  of  repulsing  a  dart,  as  from  a 
shield;  of  making  hail  rebound,  as  from  a  roof;  etc. 

2{J3  TB.  The  sign  of  resistance  united  to  that  of 
interior  action,  image  of  all  generation,  composes  a  root 
which  is  applied  to  all  ideas  of  conservation  and  central 
integrity  :  it  is  the  symbol  of  healthy  fructification,  and 
of  a  force  capable  of  setting  aside  every  corruption. 

The  Arabic  ^J  or  ^»  ,  has,  in  general,  the  same 
sense  as  the  Hebrew.  In  a  restricted  sense,  ^T  signifies 
to  amend;  ^  ,  to  supply  the  want,  the  lack  of  anything 
whatsoever;  to  become  well,  to  be  healed,  etc. 

D1D  That  which  keeps  a  just  mean;  that  which  is 
well,  healthy;  that  which  defends  itself  and  resists  cor- 
ruption ;  that  which  is  good. 

^  TG.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  *  The  Arabic  ^ 
indicates  a  violent  shock,  a  warlike  cry. 

By  *J  is  understood,  that  which  declares  force,  auda- 

city, pride.     In  a  restricted  sense  >Ar    signifies  a  crown, 
a  mitre. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  357 

TD.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Arabic  jU» 
seems  to  indicate  a  thing  strong  and  capable  of  resistance. 

p][3  TEH.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  ND.  It  is 
only  used  in  composition.  The  Arabic  A»  as  interjection, 
inspires  security. 

In  a  restricted  sense,  the  verb  ^  or  ^>  signifies  to 
dispose  of  and  prepare  a  thing  in  such  a  way  as  to  render 
it  useful. 

"IHD    (comp.)    That  which  is  pure.    See  ID. 

*)^  TOU.  That  which  arrests,  which  opposes  resist- 
ance. See  ND, 

The  Arabic  U»  is  used  as  adverbial  relation  to  impose 
silence  upon  someone.  p  signifies  literally  an  hour. 

DID      (comp.)    That  which  is  good.    See  3D. 

JTID     Every  kind  of  thread,  of  spinning:  a  net. 

PTlD  Action  of  placing  in  safety,  guaranteeing,  cov- 
ering, inlaying:  a  covering,  an  inlay,  a  coat  of  plaster; 
etc. 

^10  (comp.)  Action  of  projecting,  especially  the 
shadow.  See  *?D» 

TlD  (comp.)  Action  of  disposing,  putting  in  order. 
See  ID, 

#10  (comp.)  Action  of  flying  away,  disappearing. 
See  ff'B. 

Jg)  TZ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  Appears  only 
in  Arabic  through  wrong  usage. 

f"|^  TEH.  Every  idea  of  a  stroke  hurled  or  repuls- 
ed; metaphorically,  a  calumny,  an  accusation. 

The  Arabic    ~k  expresses  as  onomatopoetic  root,  the 


358          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

action  of  repulsing  with  the  foot.  This  root  reinforced  by 
the  guttural  aspiration,  signifies  in  £•]*  to  be  obscured, 
made  dense,  thick;  in  S-l  ,  to  be  lessened. 

^^  TT.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chaldaic 
DrA  is  sometimes  taken  to  express  the  number  two. 

The  Arabic  laj  appears  to  designate  putrid  slime, 
offensive  mire. 

^gj  TI.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  KD,  and  which 
like  it,  expresses  every  kind  of  reflection  as  is  indicated  by 
the  following: 

D'D  (intens.)  That  which  gushes  forth;  that  which 
splashes,  as  mud,  slime,  mire;  etc.  Figuratively,  the  earth. 

The  Arabic  J»  signifies  properly  to  bend,  to  give 
way,  to  be  soft. 

7|£  TCH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chaldaic 
is  used  to  signify  a  siege. 

As  onomatopoetic  root  the  Arabic  ^J»  depicts  the 
noise  of  that  which  explodes. 


TL.  The  sign  of  resistance  united  by  contrac- 
tion to  the  root'W/  symbol  of  every  elevation,  composes  a 
root  whose  object  is  to  express  the  effect  of  a  thing  which 
raises  itself  above  another  thing,  covers,  veils,  or  puts  it 
under  shelter. 

The  Arabic  Ji»  contains  in  general,  all  the  ideas  dev- 
eloped by  the  Hebraic  root. 

^£3  That  which  casts  a  shadow,  that  which  is  pro- 
jected from  above  below  ;  that  which  varies,  changes,  moves 
like  a  shadow  :  a  veil,  a  garment  with  which  one  is  covered  ; 
a  spot  which  changes  colour;  the  dew  which  forms  a  veil 
over  plants;  an  unweaned  lamb  still  under  the  shelter  of 
its  mother. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  359 

The  Arabic  jl*  has  many  divers  acceptations  like  the 
Hebrew,  all  of  which  can,  however,  be  reduced  to  the  pri- 
mitive idea  of  a  thing  emanating  from  another,  as  dew, 
shade;  metaphorically,  length,  duration,  etc.  In  a  restrict- 

ed sense    J;  signifies  to  raise  up;  JU    to  continue. 


M.     Every  idea  of  contamination,  of  anathe- 
ma ;  that  which  is  impure  and  profane. 

The  Arabic  ^  has  lost,  in  general,  the  primitive 
ideas  contained  in  the  Hebraic  root.  In  a  restricted  sense, 
this  word  signifies  simply  to  throw  dust. 

D1D  Action  of  separating  as  impure,  of  anathematiz- 
ing; every  kind  of  impurity,  pollution,  vice,  filthiness. 

?Q     TN.     Everything  woven  in  a  manner  to  form 
a  continuous  whole,  as  a  screen,  trellis,  pannier,  basket. 
As  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root,  the  Arabic     y 

or  jb  denotes  every  kind  of  tinkling,  resounding  noise. 
It  is  from  the  idea  of  persistence  developed  by  the  Hebraic 
root,  that  is  formed  the  Arabic  verb  £>  ,  to  presume,  to 
believe,  to  regard  as  certain. 

Q^  TS.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chaldaic 
DO  signifies  a  plate  of  any  kind  whatsoever:  the  Arabic 

(J^>  denotes  very  nearly  that  sort  of  receptacle  called  cup 
or  bowl  in  English. 

As  verb  (J^  ,  signifies  in  the  vulgar  idiom  to  put  in  a 
sack;  to  be  settled,  effaced. 

V[3  TOH.  Every  idea  of  obstinacy  and  persistence 
in  an  evil  manner.  This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the  root 
KD  ,  but  more  inclined  toward  the  material  sense. 

#D  The  tenacity,  the  hardness  of  an  evil  character: 
obstinacy. 


360        THE  HEBKAIG  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ^  presents  the  same  ideas  as  the  Hebrew. 
The  verb  Uk    signifies  literally  to  err,  to  behave  badly. 

(comp.)     That  which  is  attached  to  sensuality 


of  taste;  to  sensation,  to  the  knowledge  which  results: 
figuratively,  a  good  or  bad  habit,  custom:  reason,  judg- 
ment. 

|J?D  (comp.)  To  charge,  to  load  someone  with  burd- 
ens; to  fix  in  a  place,  to  nail:  metaphorically  to  overwhelm. 

n^  TPH.     Everything  which  struggles,  which  stirs 

incessantly;  which  goes  and  comes  without  stopping; 
which  persists  in  its  movement. 

The  Arabic  ±jb>  develops  in  a  broad  sense  the  idea  of 
that  which  is  impending,  which  can  happen,  occur.  In  a 
very  restricted  sense,  ^ii>  signifies  to  pour  out,  as  onomato- 

poetic  root  *Jj  ,  indicates  the  action  of  spitting. 

f)D  In  a  figurative  sense,  a  child;  anything  whatso- 
ever floating  in  the  air  or  upon  the  water:  a  swimmer;  a 
palm  branch,  etc. 

TOH.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 
TCQ.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.     The  Arabic 

^»  ,  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the  noise  of 
stones  crushed  beneath  the  feet  of  horses,  or  that  of  frogs 
croaking  upon  the  banks  of  pools,  or  that  which  produces 
a  harsh,  rough  utterance. 


TR.  The  sign  of  resistance  united  by  contrac- 
tion to  the  elementary  root  "IN,  as  image  of  fire,  forms  a 
root  which  develops  all  ideas  of  purification,  consecration, 
ordination. 

The  Arabic  £>  has  lost  nearly  all  the  ideas  developed 
by  the  Hebraic  root;  so  that  restricting  it  to  physical 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  361 

forms,  this  root  characterizes  an  abrupt,  unexpected  move- 
ment, a  fortuitous  thing,  an  incidence;  etc. 

*1HD  (comp.)  That  which  is  pure,  purified,  purged 
of  its  impurities. 

"TltO  (comp.)  That  which  is  conducted  with  purity, 
with  rectitude;  that  which  maintains  order;  clarity. 

£?Q  TSH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chaldaic 
expresses  a  change  of  place ;  to  hide  and  take  away,  from 
sight. 

The  Arabic  jj»  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  de- 
picts the  noise  of  falling  rain,  the  simmering  of  boiling 
oil,  etc. 

J")^    TTH.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Arabic 

^J»  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the  noise  of 
a  top  spinning;  thence,  the  name  of  various  games  for  chil- 
dren and  several  other  related  things. 


^  I.  This  character  is  the  symbol  of  all  manifested 
power.  It  represents  the  hand  of  man,  the  forefinger.  As 
grammatical  sign,  it  is  that  of  potential  manifestation, 
intellectual  duration,  eternity.  This  character,  remark- 
able in  its  vocal  nature,  loses  the  greater  part  of  its  fa- 
culties in  becoming  consonant,  where  it  signifies  only  a 
material  duration,  a  refraction,  a  sort  of  link  as  t,  or  of 
movement  as  tJ% 

Plato  gave  particular  attention  to  this  vowel  which 
he  considered  as  assigned  to  the  female  sex  and  designated 
consequently  all  that  which  is  tender  and  delicate. 

The  Hebraist  grammarians  who  rank  this  character 
among  the  heemantJies,  attribute  to  it  the  virtue  of  ex- 
pressing at  the  beginning  of  words,  duration  and  strength ; 
but  it  is  only  a  result  of  its  power  as  sign. 

I  have  shown  in  my  Grammar  what  use  the  idiomatic 


362          THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

genius  of  the  Hebraic  tongue  made  of  the  mother  vowel  *f 
in  the  composition  of  compound  radical  verbs  as  initial 
adjunction. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  10. 

^"1  IA.  This  root  manifests  the  potential  faculties 
of  things. 

The  Arabic  J»  expresses,  as  adverbial  or  interjective 
relation,  all  the  movements  of  the  soul  which  spring  from' 
admiration,  astonishment,  respect;  o!  oh!  ah! 

HN*  That  which  is  suitable,  worthy,  conformable 
with  the  nature  of  things,  specious,  decent;  that  which  has 
beauty,  elegance,  etc. 

DN*  (comp.)     That  which  desires  ardently.     See  2N, 

*W*  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  proneness,  inclination: 
that  which  aspires,  tends  toward  an  object.  See  t'N*  • 

"flfct*  (comp.)     A  river.     See  "IN. 

^  IB.  Onoinatopoetic  root  which  describes  the 
yelping  of  a  dog.  Figuratively  it  is  a  cry,  howl,  vocifera- 
tion. The  Ethiopic  ?0ft  (ibbe)  signifies  jubilation. 

1p  IG.  Every  idea  of  fatigue,  languor,  sadness,  as 
result  of  long  continued  action.  See  JIK» 

The  Arabic  pj'\  indicates  an  overwhelming,  stifling 
heat. 

^  ID.  The  sign  of  potential  manifestation,  united 
to  the  root  Itf,  image  of  every  emanation,  of  every  divi- 
sional cause,  forms  a  remarkable  root,  whose  purpose  is 
to  produce  ideas  relative  to  the  hand  of  man. 

The  Arabic  Jb  presents  exactly  the  same  ideas  as  the 
Hebrew. 

"J*  In  the  literal  and  restricted  sense,  the  hand;  in 
the  figurative  and  general  sense,  it  is  the  faculty,  executive 


KADICAL  VOCABULARY  363 

force,  power  of  acting,  dominion:  it  is  every  kind  of  aid, 
instrument,  machine,  work,  term;  administration,  liberal- 
ity, faith,  protection:  it  is  the  symbol  of  relative  unity, 
and  of  the  power  of  division;  it  is  the  margin,  boarder, 
edge;  the  point  by  which  one  grasps  thines;  it  is  the  place, 
the  point  that  one  indicates,  etc. 

"IK*  ( comv. )  Every  idea  of  power  and  of  force :  that 
which  is  irresistible  in  good  as  in  evil:  fate,  destiny,  nec- 
essity. 

T  or  IT  (intens.)  Action  of  throwing,  hurling  with 
the  hand ;  of  issuing,  sending;  of  spreading,  divulging,  etc. 

j"^  IEH.  Absolute  life  manifested,  Eternity,  the 
eternally  living  Being:  GOD. 

The  Arabic  4i  has  lost  all  the  intellectual  ideas  dev- 
eloped by  the  Hebraic  root,  but  the  Syriac  ou  and  the 
Samaritan  S(/fl ,  signify  alike  the  Absolute  Being.  By  the 

word    ^   is  understood  only  a  sort  of  call. 

D!T  (comp.)  Action  of  being  fruitful,  manifesting 
fruits;  a  litter,  a  burden.  Action  of  bearing,  producing. 
See  DN  and  3H. 

TlfT  (comp.)  Divine  emanation,  God-given:  it  is  the 
name  of  the  Jewish  people,  or  that  of  Judah,  from  which 
it  is  derived. 

^  IO.  Every  luminous  manifestation;  everything 
intelligible. 

This  root  no  longer  exists  in  Arabic  in  its  primitive 
simplicity.  It  is  found  only  in  the  Coptic  word  loh  to  de- 
signate the  moon;  it  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  same 

Arabic  word  £g ,  designates  the  sun.  This  last  word,  in 
receiving  the  guttural  aspiration  in  ^  »  signifies  literal- 
ly the  day,  and  is  used  sometimes  in  place  of  ^  . 

DV  (comp.)  The  luminous,  continued,  universalized 
manifestation  :  day.  See  D*. 


364         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  *£  has  conserved  none  of  the  intellec- 
tual ideas  contained  in  the  Hebrew.  As  noun,  it  is,  in  a 
restricted  sense,  a  day;  as  verb,  to  fix  a  day,  to  adjourn. 

JV  (comp.)  The  being,  passing  from  power  into 
action :  the  manifested  being.  See  [IN .  In  a  broader  sense, 
the  generative  faculty  of  nature,  the  plastic  force:  in  a 
more  restricted  sense,  a  thing  indeterminate,  tender,  soft, 
easy,  suitable  to  receive  all  forms;  clayey,  ductile  land; 
a  mire;  etc. 

^      IZ.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

DP  (comp.)  To  mediate,  to  think.  See  Dt,  and  also 
the  other  positive  roots  which  receive  the  initial  adjunction 
in  large  numbers. 

pp    IHE.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

"IH*  (comp.)  Manifestation  of  unity;  action  of  being 
united,  state  of  being  one,  unique,  solitary.  See  "in. 

*7fl*  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  tension,  attention,  ex- 
pectation; action  of  suffering,  having  anxiety,  hoping,  etc; 
See^ll 

DH*  (comp.)  Action  of  being  heated,  burned,  literal 
ly  and  figuratively.  SeeDH. 

^fT  (comp.)     To  be  barefooted.     See  f|ll. 

t?IT  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  origin,  source,  race. 
See  t?n .  It  is  considered  here  as  central  principle. 

fj^     IT.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew. 

^  II.  Manifestation  of  all  spiritual  power,  of  all 
intellectual  duration.  In  a  more  restricted  sense,  the  mind. 

w       In  Chaldaic,  it  is  the  name  of  the  Eternal;  thai 
by  which  one  finds  translated  the  Ineffable  Name   jTfT 
the  interpretation  of  which  I  have  given  in  my  notes.  Thi 
name  is  often  written  in  the  Targum  w»    the  Spirit  oj 
Spirits,  the  Eternity  of  Eternities. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  365 

["  (comp.)  Incorporated  spirit:  in  a  restricted 
sense,  every  spirituous  liquor,  wine. 

^  ICH.  Manifestation  of  restriction;  that  is  to 
say,  the  place  wherein  things  are  restricted,  the  side. 

The  Arabic  does  not  rightfully  possess  this  root;  the 
Arabic  words  which  are  here  attached  are  derived  from 
the  Persian  tiL,  which  signifies  one. 


IL.    Every  idea  of  emission  and  of  prolongation. 

The  Arabic  JL  is  applied  only  to  teeth  and  to  their 
different  forms. 

?1*  Action  of  filling  the  air  with  cries;  a  lively  song; 
a  jubilation. 

S*i    IM.    The  sign  of  manifestation  united  to  that  of 
r  action  as  collective  sign,  composes  a  root  whose 
purpose  is  to  indicate  universal  manifestation  and  to  dev- 
elop all  ideas  of  mass  and  accumulation. 

The  intellectual  force  of  this  root  is  weakened  in 
Arabic,  since  this  idiom  has  not  conserved  the  character- 
ization of  the  plurality  of  things  as  in  Hebrew.  It  is  the 
root  [',  whose  expression  is  much  less  forceful,  which  has 
replaced  it;  also,  the  manner  of  forming  the  plurals  of 
nouns  with  numberless  anomalies  and  irregularities,  has 
become  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties  of  the  Arabic  tongue. 

D*  In  a  literal  and  restricted  sense,  the  sea;  that  is 
to  say,  the  universal  aqueous  manifestation,  the  mass  of 
waters. 

As  noun,  the  Arabic  f  ,  signifies  the  sea,  and  as  verb, 
1o  submerge.  This  word  is  preserved  in  the  Coptic  ^lOM, 
and  appears  not  to  be  foreign  to  the  Japanese  umi. 

Dl*  (comp.)  Day;  that  is  to  say,  universal  luminous 
manifestation.  See  V  . 


366          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

p     IN.    The  sign  of  manifestation  united  to  that  of 

individual  and  produced  existence,  composes  a  root  whence 
are  developed  all  ideas  of  particular  manifestation  and  of 
individual  being:  thence  the  accessory  ideas  of  particular- 
ity, individuality,  property. 

The  Arabic  ^i  has  preserved  scarcely  any  of  the  intel- 
lectual ideas  developed  by  the  Hebrew.  This  ancient  root, 
however,  still  forms  the  plural  of  masculine  nouns  in 
Arabic,  as  in  Chaldaic  and  Syriac,  but  it  is  often  changed 

into  £\  following  the  usage  of  the  Samaritans,  and  more 
often  disappears  entirely  allowing  this  same  plural  to  be 
formed  in  the  most  irregular  manner. 

['  That  which  manifests  individual  sentiment,  ex- 
istence proper,  interest:  that  which  is  relative  to  a  deter- 
mined centre,  to  a  particular  point;  that  which  draws  to 
itself,  appropriates,  envelops,  involves  in  its  vortex;  de- 
prives, oppresses  others  for  its  own  interest :  every  internal 
movement,  every  desire  for  growth. 

fl*  (comp.)  Generative  faculty  of  nature,  plastic 
force:  in  a  restricted  sense,  a  dove,  symbol  of  fecundating 
warmth. 

Q1  IS.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic  ^j 
appears  to  indicate  a  movement  of  progression. 

y*l  IOH.  Everything  hollow,  empty  and  fit  to  re- 
ceive another,  as  a  vessel,  a  shovel,  etc. 

The  Arabic  *->  as  onomatopoetic  root,  depicts  the  cry 

of  one  who  wishes  to  catch  something,  or  seize  it  with  the 
hand. 

"UP  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  convention, . appointing 
the  day,  place,  time  for  an  assembly,  a  fete,  a  resolution. 
See  "!& 

?JP     (comp.}     That  which  is  rough,  steep.     See  t#« 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  367 

D)P  (comp.  )  That  which  covers,  envelops,  as  a  gar- 
ment See  toy. 

^IT  (comp.)  Every  thing  which  is  raised;  which 
grows,  augments,  profits.  See  10^. 

f)JP  (  comp,  )  Every  movement  which  tires,  fatigues. 
See  ty?. 

J"y  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  consultation,  delibera- 
tion: every  thing  which  tends  to  fix  upon  a  point,  to  de- 
termine. See  ¥$. 

"UP  (comp.}  That  which  surrounds,  defends  a 
thing,  as  the  covering  of  the  kernel,  bark  of  the  tree,  sfcm 
of  the  body  :  a  forest,  a  thicket  of  trees,  to  protect,  to  pre- 
serve a  habitation,  etc.  See  *\y  • 

S"p      TPH.     The  sign  of  manifestation  united  to  that 

of  speech,  constitutes  a  root  which  is  applied  to  all  ideas 
of  beauty,  grace,  charm,  attraction. 

The  Arabic  ^  is  only  preserved  in  the  composition 
of  words  as  in  cJw  J»  beautiful,  4o  J»  beauty,  etc. 

TJ*i  ITZ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  ;  but  it  expresses 
every  idea  of  progeny  and  propagation  in  the  Arabic  <j^*» 
which  signifies  to  grow,  in  speaking  of  plants;  in  the  Syriac 
it  designates  a  tribe,  a  nation. 


P*)      ICQ.     Every  idea  of  obedience  and  subjection. 
The  Arabic  j^i  characterizes  literally  that  which  is 
white. 

^1      IR.     Every  idea  of  respect,  of  fear,  of  reverence, 
of  veneration. 

The  Arabic     ji     signifies  a  thing  which  is  polished, 
smooth,  without  roughness,  but  firm,  as  crystal.     It  is  also 


368         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

a  thing  of  igneous  nature;  but  in  this  case  the  Arabic 
word  jfc  is  applied  to  the  root  "Vltf 

ffl  ISH.  The  sign  of  manifestation  joined  to  that 
of  relative  movement,  or  by  contraction  with  the  elemen- 
tary root  887t,  produces  a  root  whence  come  all  ideas  of 
reality,  substantiality:  in  general,  it  is  the  substantial, 
effective  being ;  in  particular,  an  old  man.  This  root  often 
expresses  the  state  of  being,  of  appearing  like,  of  being 
manifested  in  substance. 

This  root  is  not  preserved  in  Arabic  in  its  original 
purity;  it  has  become  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  like 

many  others;  the  verb    ^    has  signified  in  a  restricted 
sense,  to  leap,  gambol,  give  way  to  joy. 

f\)  ITH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew;  but  in  Chal- 
daic,  in  the  Syriac  Ju,  in  the  Samaritan  <Vjrt,  it  expresses 
always  the  essence  and  objective  nature  of  things.  See  Dtf. 


3  CH.  KH.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs 
to  the  guttural  sound.  As  symbolic  image  it  represents 
every  hollow  object,  in  general ;  in  particular,  the  hand  of 
man  half  closed.  As  grammatical  sign,  it  is  the  assimila- 
tive sign,  that  of  reflective  and  transient  life:  it  is  a  sort 
of  mould  which  receives  and  communicates  indifferently  all 
forms.  This  character  is  derived,  as  I  have  already  said, 
from  the  aspiration  l"7,  which  comes  from  the  vocal  prin- 
ciple fl,  image  of  absolute  life;  but  here  it  joins  the  ex- 
pression of  organic  character  J,  of  which  it  is  a  sort  of 
reinforcement.  In  Hebrew,  it  is  the  assimilative  and  con- 
comitant article.  Its  movement  in  nouns  and  actions  is 
similitude  and  analogy.  The  Hebraist  grammarians,  since 
they  have  neither  included  it  among  the  heemanthes  nor 
among  the  paragogics,  have  committed  the  grossest  errors ; 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  369 

they  have  merely  regarded  it  as  an  inseparable  article  or 
an  affix,  and  often  have  confused  it  with  the  word  that  it 
governs  as  article. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  20. 


CHA.  Every  idea  of  assimilated  existence,  of 
formation  by  contraction;  that  which  is  compact,  tighten- 
ed, condensed  to  take  some  sort  of  form. 

The  Arabic  o  develops,  in  general,  the  same  ideas  as 
the  Hebraic  root.  In  a  restricted  sense,  this  root  is  repre- 
sented in  English  by  the  adverbial  relations  thus,  the  same, 

such  as,  etc.  It  is  remarkable  that  this  character  4  ,  as 
sign,  fulfills  in  the  Arabic  idiom,  the  same  functions  as 
the  Hebrew  0.  As  onomatopoetic  root  &  expresses  the 
clucking  of  the  hen  ;  metaphorically,  the  action  of  gather- 
ing together,  as  a  hen  her  chickens;  or  again,  the  state  of 
being  timid,  chicken-hearted. 

3N3  (comp.)  A  moral  heaviness;  an  interior  re- 
pression; every  pain  which  is  caused  by  a  restrained  and 
repressed  desire. 

HJO  (comp.)  Action  of  being  repressed  interiorly,  of 
leading  a  sad  life,  restricted,  afflicted,  painful. 

33  OHB.  Every  idea  of  centralization  ;  that  which 
draws  near  the  centre;  which  gravitates  there. 

The  Arabic  »Jb  characterizes  in  general,  that  which 
carries  from  above  below,  precipitates,  pours  out,  throws 
down,  sinks,  goes  down.  As  onomatopoetic  root  ^  sig- 
nifies to  cut.  This  root  used  in  music  designates  the  fun- 
damental sound,  the  keynote. 

J3  CHG.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
^  seems  to  indicate  a  sort  of  movement  executed  upon 
itself  in  spiral  line.  In  particular  it  is  a  certain  game 
for  children. 


370         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

^^  CHD.  That  which  partakes  of  relative  unity, 
isolation,  division.  In  a  restricted  sense  a  spark,  a  frag- 
ment. 

The  Chaldaic  "O  is  represented  in  a  restricted  sense, 

by  the  adverbial  relation  when.  The  Arabic  Jo  signifies 
in  general,  to  act  in  one's  own  interest,  to  work  for  self; 
in  particular,  to  be  industrious,  to  intrigue,  to  be  fatigued, 
tormented, 


CHE.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  JO,  but  whose 
expression  is  spiritualized  and  reinforced  by  the  presence 
of  the  sign  Jl  . 

i"O  That  which  is  conformable  to  a  given  model  ;  that 
which  coincides  with  a  point  of  space  or  time,  which  can 
be  conceived  in  an  abstract  sense,  by  the  adverbial  rela- 
tions yes,  thus,  like  this;  that;  in  that  very  place;  at  that 
very  time,  etc. 

The  Arabic  £  having  lost  all  the  ideas  attached  to 
the  Hebraic  root  or  having  concentrated  them  in  the  prim- 
itive sign  ii  or  o  ,  has  become  an  onomatopoetic  root  de- 
picting an  oppressed  respiration  either  by  old  age,  by  ill- 
ness, or  by  excess  of  drinking. 

r?i"O  (intens.)  From  the  idea  of  an  excess  of  restric- 
tion, comes  that  of  fright,  weakness,  pusillanimity:  con- 
trition; dimming  of  the  eyes;  dizziness,  faintness,  etc. 

*?rO  (comp.)     Every  value.     See^H. 

|J"O  (comp.)  Every  administration,  distinguished 
function  ;  literally,  priesthood,  pontificate;  a  priest,  a  man 
raised  in  dignity  to  special  supervision.  See  p» 

^3  CHOU.  Every  assimilating,  compressing,  re- 
straining force  :  the  natural  faculty  which  fetters  the  dev- 
elopment of  bodies  and  draws  them  back  to  their  elements. 
Root  analogous  to  the  root  JO  ,  but  modified  by  the  pre- 
sence of  »the  convertible  sign  1. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  371 

The  Arabic  root  }    has  certainly  developed  the  same 

universal  ideas  in  the  ancient  idiom ;  but  in  the  modern,  it 
is  restricted  to  characterize  a  sort  of  cauterization.  The 
idea  of  combustion,  of  burning  is  expressed  in  particular, 

by  the  root  f  ,  and  by  the  word  ^£  is  understood  in 
general,  that  which  is  strong,  vigorous,  violent,  extreme. 

HO  Action  of  arresting  the  scope  of  vegetation;  re- 
pressing bodies,  shrivelling  them  by  burning;  reducing 
them  to  ashes. 

*O  or  (TO  Combustion;  that  which  roasts,  burns; 
corrodes. 

(TO(cowp.)  That  which  holds  to  the  central  force; 
that  which  depends  upon  igneous  power;  that  which  after 
being  centralized  is  unbound  like  a  spring;  in  general  it 
is  the  virtual  faculty  of  the  earth. 

*?13  (comp.)  That  which  seizes  and  agglomerates. 
See  *7K* 

jO      (comp.)     See  p . 

"113   (comp.)     A  furnace. 

B>13   (comp.)     See  BO. 

J3  CHZ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
•f  indicates  everything  which  is  contracted  in  itself, 
shrivelled. 

In  a  restricted  sense  £     signifies  to  be  disgusted. 

pQ  CHEH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  In  Syriar, 
^»  is  ouomatopoetic,  expressing  the  effort  made  in  retain- 
ing one's  breath. 

The  Arabic  ftC ,  being  the  reinforcement  of  the  root 

4<f  ,  characterizes  the  state  of  an  asthmatic  person,  or  of 
one  worn  out  with  old  age. 


372          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


.  )     Action  of  retaining  a  thing,  hiding  it, 
concealing  it  carefully. 

^PD  (comp.)     Action  of  disguising  a  thing,    smear- 
ing it. 

(comp.)    Action  of  denying  a  thing, 


CHT.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
j£  ,  expresses  the  action  of  gorging  with  food  to  the  point 
of  being  unable  to  breathe.  Figuratively,  it  is  to  fill  be- 
yond measure,  to  overpower  with  work.  In  the  modern 
idiom  £2  signifies  bushy  hair. 

IJ  CHI.  Manifestation  of  any  assimilating,  com- 
pressing force.  See  JO>  J"O  ,  and  ID  . 

The  Arabic  ^    signifies  in  a  restricted  sense,  a  burn. 

O  The  force  expressed  by  this  root  is  represented  in 
an  abstract  sense,  by  the  relations  that,  because,  for,  then, 
when,  etc. 

°V3  (comp.)  Everything  which  compresses  strongly, 
which  crowds,  which  presses:  literally,  armour;  a  scourge. 

^^  (comp.)  That  which  is  covetous,  tenacious;  a 
miser. 

D^(comp.)  Constellation  of  the  Pleiades;  because 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  stars  cluster. 

D'D  (comp.)     A  purse  filled  with  money;  a  casket. 

?f3  (comp.)  A  rock;  a  thing  hard  and  strong,  of 
compressed  substance. 

?p  CHKH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chal- 
daic  *p  signifies  nothing  more  than  the  Hebrew  fO  • 

The  Ethiopic  ftft  (each)  is  an  onomatopoetic  root 
which  denotes  the  cry  of  a  crow. 

CHL.     This  root  expresses  all  ideas  of  appre- 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  373 

hension,  shock,  capacity,  relative  assimilation,  consumma- 
tion, totalization,  achievement,  perfection. 

The  Arabic  jf  develops  in  general,  the  same  ideas  of 
complement,  totalization,  as  the  Hebrew;  but  in  leaving 
its  source,  it  inclines  rather  toward  the  totalization  of 
evil  than  toward  that  of  good  ;  so  that  in  the  Arabic  idiom 
J£"  is  taken  figuratively,  for  excess  of  fatigue,  height  of 
misfortune,  extreme  poverty,  etc.  This  root  being  rein- 
forced by  the  guttural  aspiration,  offers  in  J  j  ,  a  meaning 
absolutely  contrary  to  the  primitive  sense  of  accumula- 
tion, and  designates  the  state  of  that  which  diminishes, 
which  is  lessened. 

"73  That  which  is  integral,  entire,  absolute,  perfect, 
total,  universal:  that  which  consumes,  concludes,  finishes, 
totalizes  a  thing;  that  which  renders  it  complete,  perfect, 
accomplished;  which  comprises,  contains  it,  in  determin- 
ing its  accomplishment:  the  universality  of  things;  their 
assimilation,  aggregation,  perfection;  the  desire  of  possess- 
ing; possession;  a  prison:  the  consumption  of  foods,  their 
assimilation  with  the  substance  of  the  body,  etc. 

*?D  Action  of  totalizing,  accomplishing,  comprising, 
universalizing,  consummating,  etc. 


Every  tension,  inclination,  desire  for  as- 
similation.   The  Arabic  ^    signifies  how  much. 

The  root  J>  ,  as  verb,  signifies  to  know  the  quantity 
of  some  thing,  or  to  fix  that  quantity. 

?3  CHN.     This  root,  wherein  the  assimilative  sign 

is  united  to  the  root  [N,  image  of  all  corporeal  circum- 
scription, is  related  to  that  which  enjoys  a  central  force 
energetic  enough  to  become  palpable,  to  form  a  body,  to 
acquire  solidity  :  it  is  in  general,  the  base,  the  point  upon 
which  things  rest. 


374          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  $  has  not  differed  from  the  Hebraic  root 
in  its  primitive  origin;  but  its  developments  have  been  dif- 
ferent. The  intellectual  root  fflfl  to  be-being,  almost  en- 
tirely lost  in  Arabic,  has  been  replaced  by  the  physical 
root  p  ;  so  that  in  the  Arabic  idiom  the  word  ^^  which 
should  designate  only  material,  corporeal  existence,  sub- 
stance in  general,  signifies  being.  This  substitution  of  one 
root  for  another  has  had  very  grave  consequences,  and  has 
served  more  than  anything  else  to  estrange  Arabic  from 
Hebrew. 

p  That  which  holds  to  physical  reality,  corporeal 
kind;  stability,  solidity,  consistency;  a  fixed,  constituted, 
naturalized  thing:  in  a  restricted  sense,  a  plant:  in  an 
abstract  sense,  it  is  the  adverbial  relatives,  yes,  thus,  that, 
then,  etc. 

The  Arabic  J6^ ,  in  consequence  of  the  reasons  ex- 
plained above,  characterizes  the  state  of  that  which  is, 
that  which  exists,  or  passes  into  action  in  nature.  This 
root  which,  in  Arabic,  has  usurped  the  place  of  the  pri- 
mitive root  rrin,  signifies  literally  it  existed.  It  can  be  re- 
marked that  the  Samaritan  and  Chaldaic  follow  the  sense 
of  the  Hebraic  root,  whereas  the  Syriac  and  Ethiopic  fol- 
low that  of  the  Arabic. 

I'D  Action  of  constituting,  disposing,  fixing,  ground- 
ing; action  of  strengthening,  affirming,  confirming;  action 
of  conforming,  qualifying  for  a  thing,  producing  according 
to  a  certain  mode,  designating  by  a  name,  naturalizing,  etc. 

Q3  CHS.  Every  idea  of  accumulation,  enumera- 
tion, sum. 

DD    The  top;  the  pinnacle  of  an  edifice;  a  throne. 

The  Arabic  ^^5  expresses  in  general,  the  action  of  re- 
moving the  superficies  of  things ;  in  particular,  that  of  clip- 
ping, cutting  with  scissors.  The  onomatopoetic  root 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  375 

expresses  the  idea  of  utmost  exertion,  and  the  Arabic  noun 
(J3    pudendum  mulicbre. 

D"O  Action  of  numbering,  calculating;  accumulating) 
carrying  to  the  top;  filling  up,  covering,  etc. 

J73   CHOH.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Chal- 

daic  indicates  in  an  onomatopoetic  manner,  the  sound  of 
spitting. 

The  Arabic  £  develops  only  ideas  of  baseness,  cow- 
ardice. 

D)D(comp.)  Action  of  being  indignant,  vexed;  pro- 
voking, irritating  another. 

rp  CHPH.  '  Every  idea  of  curvature,  concavity,  in- 
flection; of  a  thing  capable  of  containing,  holding:  in  a 
restricted  sense,  palm  of  the  hand,  sole  of  the  foot,  talons, 
claws  of  an  animal,  a  spoon ;  that  which  curves  like  a  sleeve, 
a  branch :  that  which  has  capacity,  like  a  stove,  a  spatula, 
etc. 

The  Arabic  ±Jo     contains  exactly  the  same  ideas  as 

the  Hebraic  root.    As  verb,  and  in  a  figurative  sense,  ^5 
signifies  to  preserve,  defend,  keep. 

f]lD  Action  of  bending,  being  inflected,  made  concave, 
etc. 

^2  CHTZ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
u&  appears  to  signify  a  sort  of  undulatory  movement  as 
that  of  water  agitated. 

This  root  being  doubled  in  j£jb  indicates  a  move- 
ment extremely  accelerated. 

^3  CHR.  The  assimilative  sign  united  to  that  of 
movement  proper  1,  or  by  contraction  with  the  elementary 


376         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

root  *ltf,  constitutes  a  root  related  in  general,  to  that  which 
is  apparent,  conspicuous;  which  serves  as  monument,  as 
distinctive  mark:  which  engraves  or  serves  to  engrave; 
which  hollows  out,  which  preserves  the  memory  of  things 
in  any  manner  whatsoever  ;  finally,  that  which  grows,  rises, 
is  noticeable. 

The  Arabic  j  has  certainly  developed  the  same 
general  sense  as  the  Hebraic  root,  in  its  primitive  accepta- 
tion; but  in  a  less  broad  sense,  the  Arabic  root  is  limited 
to  expressing  the  action  of  returning  on  itself,  on  its  steps; 
reiterating  the  same  movement,  repeating  a  speech,  etc. 

*D  Every  kind  of  character,  mark,  engraving;  every 
distinctive  object:  leader  of  a  flock,  a  ram;  leader  of  an 
army,  a  captain:  every  kind  of  excavation;  a  furrow,  ditch, 
trench,  etc. 

"VD   A  round  vessel,  a  measure. 


CHSH.  This  root  is  applied  in  general  to  tho 
idea  of  a  movement  of  vibration  which  agitates  and  ex- 
pands the  air. 

The  Arabic  ^p  signifies  literally  to  shrivel  up,  to 
shrink  in  speaking  of  the  nerves  :  to  shorten. 

JJ"D  (comp.}  That  which  is  of  the  nature  of  fire  and 
communicates  the  same  movement.  Figuratively,  that 
which  is  spiritual,  igneous. 


CHTH.     Every  idea  of  retrenchment,  scission, 
suspension,  cut,  schism. 

JTO    Action  of  cutting,  carving,  retrenching,  exclud- 
ing, separating,  making  a  schism,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^     presents  exactly  the  same  sense  in 

general.     In  particular,     j5^  signifies  to  shrink;  by   & 
is  understood  the  action  of  curling  the  hair. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  377 

L.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
lingual  sound.  As  symbolic  image  it  represents  the  arm  of 
man,  the  wing  of  a  bird,  that  which  extends,  raises  and 
unfolds  itself.  As  grammatical  sign,  it  is  expansive  move- 
ment and  is  applied  to  all  ideas  of  extension,  elevation, 
occupation,  possession.  It  is,  in  Hebrew,  the  directive 
article,  as  I  have  explained  in  my  Grammar,  expressing  in 
nouns  or  actions,  a  movement  of  union,  dependence,  pos- 
session or  coincidence. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  30. 


LA.  This  root  is  symbol  of  the  line  prolonged 
to  infinity,  of  movement  without  term,  of  action  whose 
duration  is  limitless:  thence,  the  opposed  ideas  of  being 
and  nothingness,  which  it  uses  in  developing  the  greater 
part  of  its  compounds. 

The  Arabic  M  develops  the  same  ideas  as  the  Hebraic 
root.  In  a  restricted  sense  V  is  represented  by  the  nega- 

tive adverbial  relations  no,  not.     The  verb  VV  signifies 
literally  to  shine,  sparkle,  glisten. 

^7  or  Kl1?  It  is  in  general,  an  indefinite  expansion, 
an  absence  without  term  expressed  in  an  abstract  sense  by 
the  relations,  no,  not,  not  at  all.  Definite  direction,  that 
is  to  say,  that  which  is  restrained  by  means  of  the  assimi- 
lative sign  D,  is  opposed  to  it.  See  H3  or  p« 

r\^7  It  is  in  general,  an  action  without  end;  in  its 
literal  sense,  a  labour  which  fatigues,  wearies,  molests. 

tON1?  (comp.}     Action  of  covering,  hiding.    SeeD/* 

TJN1?  (comp.)  Action  of  despatching,  delegating. 
See  }?. 

(comp.)     A  nation.     See  D1?. 


LB.     The  expansive  sign  united  by  contraction 
to  the  rootDN,  image  of  every  interior  activity,  every  ap- 


378         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTOEED 

petent,  desirous,  generative  force,  constitutes  a  root 
whence  emanate  all  ideas  of  vitality,  passion,  vigour,  cou- 
rage, audacity:  literally,  it  is  the  heart,  and  figuratively, 
all  things  which  pertain  to  that  centre  of  life  ;  every  qual- 
ity, every  faculty  resulting  from  the  unfolding  of  the  vital 
principle. 

31?  The  heart,  the  centre  of  everything  whatsoever 
from  which  life  radiates;  all  dependent  faculties:  courage, 
force,  passion,  affection,  desire,  will;  sense. 

The  Arabic  ^  participates  in  the  same  acceptations 
as  the  Hebraic  root. 

y\*7  Action  of  showing  force,  developing  vital  facili- 
ties, moving  with  audacity,  animating,  making  vigorous, 
germinating,  etc. 

Dff?  (comp.)  Ardour,  flame,  vital  fire,  literally  as 
well  as  figuratively. 


LG.  Every  idea  of  liaison,  of  intimate,  compli- 
cated thing  ;  of  litigation.  The  meaning  of  the  Arabic  *J 
is  similar  and  signifies  literally  to  insist,  to  contest.  The 
Hebrew  $7  presents  in  the  figurative,  symbolic  style,  the 
measure  of  extent,  space. 


LD.  The  expansive  sign,  joined  to  that  of  abund- 
ance born  of  division,  or  by  contraction  with  the  root  IK' 
image  of  every  emanation,  composes  a  root  whose  purpose 
is  to  express  every  idea  of  propagation,  of  generation, 
of  any  extension  whatsoever  given  to  being. 

The  Arabic  j)  expresses  in  general  the  same  ideas  as 
the  Hebraic  root.  In  a  restricted  sense  it  is,  to  make  mani- 
fest, to  put  fonoard,  to  discuss.  The  verb  $  characterizes 
the  state  of  that  which  is  relaxed,  put  at  ease;  to  enjoy 
one's  self,  to  delight  in,  etc. 

"I1?    That  which  is  born,  generated,  propagated,  bred: 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  379 

progeny,  increase  of  family,  race,  lineage:  confinement, 
childbirth,  etc. 


LEH.  This  root,  analogue  of  the  root  K?  con- 
tains the  idea  of  a  direction  given  to  life,  of  a  movement 
without  term. 

Thence  the  Arabic    *J     which  signifies  properly 

GOD.  In  a  more  materialized  sense,  the  word  4)  designates 
that  which  is  refined,  softened,  become  beautiful,  pure, 
elegant. 

Jin1?  Every  idea  of  indeterminate  action,  of  insup- 
portable fatigue;  frenzy. 

2Tt?(comp.)  Every  desirous  movement;  every  pro- 
jection into  vacuity  :  a  flame  of  any  sort  whatsoever. 

JH1?  (comp.)  Keen  disposition  to  study,  desire  to 
learn  :  in  a  figurative  sense,  a  system,  a  doctrine. 

Drf?(oomp«)  That  which  is  inflamed,  takes  fire, 
burns  for  something. 

DH1?  (comp.)  To  universalize  an  expansive  move- 
ment, to  render  it  sympathetic;  to  electrify,  inspire,  pro- 
pagate: etc. 

1")  or  v  LOU  or  LI>  Everv  idea  of  liaison>  cohesion, 
tendency  of  objects  toward  each  other.  The  universal 
bond.  The  abstract  line  which  is  conceived  going  from 
one  point  to  another  and  which  is  represented  by  the  rela- 
tions, oh  if!  oh  that!  would  to  God  that! 

The  Arabic  )  has  not  preserved  the  ideas  contained 
in  the  primitive  root  as  those  have  which  are  represented 
by  the  adverbial  relations  if,  if  not,  though.  The  verb  »), 
which  is  attached  to  the  root  ff?  or  4),  signifies  to  make 
divine  power  shine  forth,  to  create;  to  give  vital  movement 


380         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

to  matter.    It  is  to  the  sense  of  radiating  which  is  contain- 
ed in  this  root,  that  one  applies  the  word     )j    a  pearl. 

IT!*?  Action  of  being  adherent,  coherent,  united  by 
mutual  ties,  by  sympathetic  movement:  every  adjunction, 
liaison,  copulation,  conjunction,  addition,  etc. 

Vh  (comp.)  That  which  cedes,  gives  way,  bends. 
See  f5?. 

PR*?  (comp.)     That  which  is  polished,  shining.  Seel"!1?. 
D1*?  (comp.)     To  hide,  envelop.    See  13s?. 
1*7   (comp.)     Addition,  supplement. 

?)V?  (comp.)  That  which  is  detached,  disunited;  figu- 
ratively, that  which  drags,  is  dirty,  soiled.  See  tf?  . 

[V?  (comp.)  See  f?. 

yV?  (  comp.  )  Action  of  swallowing.    See  tf?  * 

pt?(comp.)  See  f1?* 

E>V?  (  comp.  )  See  IP1?  . 


LZ.  Every  movement  directed  toward  an  object 
to  show  it,  and  expressed  in  an  abstract  sense  by  the  rela- 
tions this,  that. 

The  Arabic  j  has  preserved  the  physical  develop- 
ments more  than  the  Hebraic  root  ;  for  one  finds  there  all 
the  acceptations  which  have  relation  to  things  coming 
together,  their  collision,  clashing,  etc. 


LH.  Every  movement  directed  toward  elemen- 
tary existence  and  making  effort  to  produce  itself,  to 
make  its  appearance. 

The  Arabic  *)  develops  in  general,  all  ideas  of  co- 
hesion, of  contraction,  and  retains  only  the  physical  and 
material  acceptations  of  the  Hebraic  root. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  381 

ff?  Natural  vigour;  innate  movement  of  vegetation; 
radical  moisture:  that  which  is  verdant,  young,  moist, 
fresh;  that  which  is  glowing  with  youth,  beauty,  freshness; 
that  which  is  smooth,  soft  to  the  touch;  etc. 

^rh  (comp.)     Action  of  licking,  sucking,  polishing. 

Drf?(comp.)  That  which  serves  as  food  to  elemen- 
tary life:  action  of  subsisting,  of  being  fed:  every  idea  of 
alimentation;  consumption  of  anything  whatsoever. 

pT*?(comp.)  A  hostile  incursion,  public  misfortune, 
oppression.  See  JTt. 

CJ>rf?(  comp.  )  A  magic  incantation,  an  enchantment: 
a  talisman.  See  CP1?. 


LT.  The  directive  sign  united  to  that  of  pro- 
tective resistance,  composes  a  root  which  contains  all  ideas 
of  seclusion,  envelopment,  mystery,  hiding  place.  SeetON1? 
and  OV?. 

The  Arabic  U  characterizes,  in  general,  that  which 
agglutinates,  makes  sticky,  etc.  The  verb  jj  signifies 
properly  to  knead,  and  in  the  figurative  sense,  JJ  indicates 
the  action  of  sullying,  compromising,  contaminating. 

LI.     Root  analogous  to  roots  $??•  rf?»  V?. 
The  Arabic    ^    designates  literally  a  pliant,  flexible 
thing. 

'7*7  (comp.)  That  which  renders  things  adherent, 
binds,  envelops  them  :  night.  See1?1?. 


* 


(comp.)     A  lion.    See  w? • 
LCH.    The  extensive  sign  united  to  the  root  Tl 


image  of  every  restriction,  constitutes  a  root  whence  is 
developed  the  idea  of  a  restrained  utterance,  as  a  deter- 


382         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

mined  message;  executing  a  mission;  a  legation,  a  vicar- 
ship. 

The  Arabic  v*JJ  has  lost  absolutely  all  the  intellectual 
ideas  developed  by  the  Hebraic  root  and  has  preserved  but 
few  of  its  physical  acceptations.  In  a  restricted  sense,  the 
verb  ill  signifies  to  chew;  as  onomatopoetic  root  ji 
depicts  the  gurgle  of  a  bottle. 

TjN1?  Every  kind  of  legation,  delegation,  envoy,  to  ful- 
fill any  function  whatsoever. 

Tp1?  (comp.)  State  of  being  detached,  delegated, 
loosened,  released;  without  bond,  lawless;  impious,  pro- 
fane, etc. 


LL.  The  sign  of  extensive  movement  being  op- 
posed to  itself,  composes  a  root  which  gives  the  idea  of 
circular  movement:  in  the  same  manner  as  one  sees  in 
natural  philosophy,  this  movement  springs  from  two  op- 
posed forces,  one  drawing  to  the  centre,  and  the  other 
drawing  away  from  it. 

The  Arabic    Jl    is  not  preserved;  but  one  recognizes 

the  Hebraic  root  in  the  verb  Jj)    which  expresses  anxiety, 
despair  of  a  person  tossed  about. 

^V?    Action  of  moving  around,  turning  alternately 
from  one  side  to  another ;  rocking,  winding,  twisting. 

W  (comp.)     That  which  binds  things  and  envelops 
them;  night. 


LM.    A  sympathetic,  mutual  bond ;  a  movement 
directed  toward  universal ization. 

The  Arabic  +.  .  develops  the  same  ideas  as  the  Hebraic 
root  but  in  a  more  physical  sense.  As  verb,  it  is  the  action 
of  uniting  together,  assembling,  gathering,  etc.  When  the 

word  J  signifies  no,  it  is  attached  to  the  root    ¥  or  N5?  • 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  383 

A  people;  that  is.  to  say,  a  more  or  less  consider- 
able number  of  men  united  by  common  bond. 


LN.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Arabic  j^\ 

expresses  every  kind  of  colour,  tint,  reflection  cast  upon 
objects;  that  which  varies,  changes  colour,  flashes  irides- 
cent hues,  etc. 

In  the  modern  idiom,  the  verb  £  signifies  literally 
to  soften. 

|V?  A  reflected  light,  a  nocturnal  lamp:  action  of 
watching  by  lamp-light,  of  passing  the  night,  of  taking 
rest. 


LS.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic  ^ 
indicates  the  action  of  browsing.  By  the  word  ^  is 
understood  a  thief,  a  robber. 


LOH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic  *} 
appears  to  express  in  general,  covetous  desire,  consuming 
ardour. 

The  root  «S  which  appears  to  be  idiomatic  and 
onomatopoetic  in  Arabic,  denotes  the  articulate  or  inart- 
iculate sound  emitted  by  the  voice  and  modified  by  the 
tongue ;  thence  the  verb  U  which  signifies  to  speak  or  to 
bark,  according  to  whether  it  is  a  question  of  man  or  dog. 
The  word  *i\  signifies  literally,  a  speech,  an  idiom,  etc. 

V^  A  yawning  jaw,  an  engulfing  abyss;  that  which 
swallows,  absorbs,  devours. 

LPH.  Every  idea  of  reaction,  of  return  to  it- 
self, of  refraction. 

The  Arabic  •>_&   indicates  a  complication,  an  adjunc- 


384         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

tion  of  several  things.  It  is  literally,  the  action  of  envelop- 
ing. 

Vj  LTZ.  Every  kind  of  turn,  detour,  turning 
about,  sinuosity,  inflection. 

The  Arabic  ^  expresses  in  general,  every  kind  of 
trickery,  ruse,  cheating.  Literally  a  thief. 

p1?  Action  of  making  light  of,  making  a  play  on 
words;  of  laughing;  action  of  turning  one  tongue  into  an- 
other, of  employing  an  oratorical  trope,  etc. 


LCQ.     In  a  literal  sense,  that  which  is  seized 

by  the  tongue,  that  which  is  lapped,  licked:  figuratively, 
that  which  is  seized  by  the  mind,  a  lesson,  a  lecture,  an  in- 
struction. 

The  Arabic  v*M  signifies  to  chew,  and  jjj,  as  onomato- 
poetic  root  denotes  every  kind  of  slapping,  clapping,  click- 
ing. 

pff?  From  the  idea  of  instruction  springs  that  of 
doctrine;  from  that  of  doctrine,  doctor.  Thence,  the  idea 
of  academy,  of  the  gathering  of  savants,  of  sages,  of  elders, 
of  the  senate. 

LR.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

LSH.     Every  union  en  masse,  every  forming, 
composng. 

The  Arabic  JJ  indicates  the  state  of  that  which  is 

agitated,  shaken.  The  word  ^jALD  characterizes  one  who 
is  trembling,  troubled,  unsteady. 

ttfl1?  That  which  tends  to  soften,  knead;  to  make 
ductile  a  thing  which  is  firm  and  divided. 

fl")  LTH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
£J  indicates  a  mutual  union,  a  sympathetic  bond. 


KADICAL  VOCABULARY  385 

Q  M.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
nasal  sound.  As  symbolic  image  it  represents  woman, 
mother,  companion  of  man;  that  which  is  productive, 
creative.  As  grammatical  sign,  it  is  the  maternal  and 
female  sign  of  exterior  and  passive  action;  placed  at  the 
beginning  of  words  it  depicts  that  which  is  local  and 
iflastic;  placed  at  the  end,  it  becomes  the  collective  sign, 
developing  the  being  in  infinitive  space,  as  far  as  its 
nature  permits,  or  uniting  by  abstraction,  in  one  single 
being  all  those  of  the  same  kind.  In  Hebrew  it  is  the  ex- 
tractive or  partitive  article,  as  I  have  explained  in  my 
Grammar,  expressing  in  nouns  or  actions  that  sort  of 
movement  by  which  a  name  or  an  action,  is  taken  for 
means  or  instrument,  is  divided  in  its  essence,  or  is 
drawn  from  the  midst  of  several  other  similar  nouns  or 
actions. 

The  Hebraist  grammarians  whilst  considering  this 
character  as  hecmanthe  have  not  ceased,  nevertheless,  to 
confound  it  with  the  words  which  it  modifies  as  sign,  as 
I  shall  show  in  several  important  examples  in  my  notes. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  40. 


MA.  That  which  tends  to  the  aggrandize- 
ment of  its  being,  to  its  entire  development;  that  which 
serves  as  instrument  of  generative  power  and  manifests 
it  exteriorly. 

The  Arabic  l»  presents  in  its  original  sense  the  same 
ideas  as  the  Hebraic  root;  but  this  root  has  acquired  in 
Arabic  a  greater  number  of  developments  than  it  has  in 
Hebrew  ;  this  is  why  it  demands  in  both  idioms  all  the  at- 
tention of  those  who  wish  to  go  back  to  the  essence  of  lan- 
guage. NO  or  »  ,  characterizes  in  general,  passive  matter, 
the  thing  of  which,  with  which,  and  by  means  of  which, 
all  is  made.  It  is  in  particular,  in  the  Arabic  idiom, 
water;  anything  whatsoever,  all  or  nothing,  according  to 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  considered.  This  important 


386          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

root,  conceived  as  pronominal  relation  designates  the  pos- 
sibility of  all  things,  and  is  represented  by  the  analogues 
what  and  which;  conceived,  on  the  contrary,  as  adverbial 
relation,  it  is  employed  in  Arabic  to  express  the  absence 
of  every  determined  object  and  is  rendered  by  the  anal- 
ogues not,  no.  As  verb,  the  root  \»  or  J*  signifies  in  gen- 
eral, to  go  everywhere,  to  extend  everyivhere,  to  fill  space, 
etc. 

jTND  This  is,  in  general,  that  which  is  developed 
according  to  the  extent  of  its  faculties  ;  in  a  more  restrict- 
ed sense  it  is  the  number  one  hundred. 

3Q  MB.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
^»\A  seems  to  indicate  an  idea  of  return,  remittance;  of 
honour  rendered. 

JQ  MG.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
Z\»  expresses  the  idea  of  a  thing  which  is  sour,  acrid, 
bitter,  sharp;  which  irritates,  troubles,  torments. 

In  a  restricted  sense  the  verb  ».  signifies  to  be  re- 
pugnant. 


MD.  The  sign  of  exterior  action,  being  united 
to  that  of  elementary  division,  constitutes  that  root  whence 
come  all  ideas  of  measure,  dimension,  mensuration,  com- 
mensurable extent,  and  in  a  metaphorical  sense,  those  of 
custom,  rule,  condition. 

The  Arabic  ju  develops  in  general,  the  same  ideas  as 
the  Hebrew.  In  particular,  it  is  that  which  extends, 
lengthens,  unfolds. 

1N£  That  which  fills  its  measure,  which  has  all  the 
dimensions  that  it  can  have,  which  enjoys  the  whole  extent 
of  its  faculties:  in  an  abstract  sense,  much,  very,  exceed- 
ingly, etc. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  387 

MEH.  That  which  is  essentially  mobile,  essen- 
tially passive  and  creative ;  the  element  from  which  every- 
thing draws  its  nourishment ;  that  which  the  ancients  re- 
garded as  the  female  principle  of  all  generation,  water,  and 
which  they  opposed  to  the  male  principle,  which  they  be- 
lieved to  be  -fire. 

HD»  ID  or  *0  Every  idea  of  mobility,  fluidity,  pas- 
sivity; that  which  is  tenuous  and  impassive,  whose  in- 
timate essence  remains  unknown,  whose  faculties  are 
relative  to  the  active  principles  which  develop  them;  in 
a  literal  and  restricted  sense,  water,  in  an  abstract  sense 
who?  which ?  what  is  it?  some  one,  something. 

The  Arabic  <u  has  lost  all  the  intellectual  ideas  of  the 
Hebraic  root  and  has  substituted  the  root  U  for  all  phys- 
ical ideas.  Today,  by  A»»,  is  understood  only  a  vain 
futile,  inane  thing. 

^flD  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  mixture;  the  fusion 
of  several  things  together. 

TTD  (comp.)  That  which  passes  away  with  rapid- 
ity, that  which  changes,  varies  easily  and  quickly.  See  "10. 

*)Q    MOU.     Analogue  of  the  root  HO , 

10  This  is,  in  Hebrew,  a  passive  syllable  which  is 
added  to  nearly  all  articles  and  to  some  pronouns,  to  give 
them  more  force  and  without  bringing  any  change  to  their 
proper  expression. 

The  Arabic  j*  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts 
in  particular  the  mewing  of  a  cat;  by  extension,  every 
harsh,  shrill  sound.  The  Ethiopic  ^fl?A  (mowa)  char- 
acterizes, in  general,  the  action  of  triumphing,  and  that 
of  celebrating  a  triumph  with  a  fanfare. 

310  (comp.)  Action  of  liquifying,  dissolving, 
melting. 

( comp. )     Marrow. 


388         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  KESTOBED 

DID  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  communicated  move- 
ment. See  £30  • 

TpO  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  attenuation,  depression. 
See  T]0. 

'TIO  (comp.)  Action  of  amputating,  cutting  off 
exuberance,  circumcising.  See  J70» 

DiO     (comp.)     Stain,  vice.   See  DO. 

|VD      (comp.)     Image,  representation,  figure:  See  p. 

"110  (comp.)  Every  variation,  every  permutation. 
See  "ID. 

^10  (comp.)  That  which  is  contracted  and  rotted 
up  in  itself  :  See  tP'O  • 

fVIO      (comp.)     Passing  into  another  life,  deatfft.  See 

no. 

JQ  MZ.  Every  burning;  combustion  through  the 
effect  of  refraction.  Intense  dazzling;  reflection  of  the 
solar  rays  ;  incandescence,  heat,  sudden  dryness. 

The  Arabic  j»  not  having  conserved  the  primitive 
sense  of  the  Hebraic  root,  offers  only  particular  con- 
sequences of  the  most  general  ideas,  as  those  which  spring 
from  heat  or  from  dryness  ;  or  from  that  which  is  sour  or 
dried  up,  in  speaking  of  liquids, 


p]  ^  MH.  Onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the 
noise  that  is  made  in  clapping  the  hands  :  figuratively,  ac- 
tion of  applauding;  state  of  being  joyous,  of  having  good 
appearance. 

HO  Clapping,  applause,  fullness  of  the  body;  good 
humour. 

HO  The  sign  of  exterior  and  passive  action  united 
to  that  of  elementary  labour,  or  to  the  root  I"TN,  symbol 
of  all  equality,  constitutes  a  root  to  which  are  attached 
the  ideas  of  abolition,  desuetude;  of  ravage  carried  on  by 
time,  by  the  action  of  the  elements,  or  by  man;  thence, 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  389 

Action  of  effacing,  depriving,  taking  away,  de- 
stroying; of  razing  a  city,  an  edifice;  of  washing,  cleansing, 
etc. 

The  Arabic  ~  presents  the  same  general  ideas  as  the 
Hebraic  root  HO  .  The  particular  ideas  are  developed  in 
the  modern  idiom  by  the  derivative  root  Ut*. 

jTfO  (comp.)  Action  of  hurting,  striking  violent- 
ly, wounding.  Seep!  . 

pHO  (comp.)  Action  of  razing,  scraping,  taking 
away,  removing  by  force,  erasing,  etc. 

"IfTD  (comp.}  Every  idea  of  contingent  future,  of 
fatal.  irrcsixtibJc  thing:  in  a  literal  sense,  it  is  the  ad- 
verbial relation  tomorrow* 

[2*2  ^^.  This  root,  composed  of  the  sign  of  ex- 
terior and  passive  action,  united  to  that  of  resistance,  de- 
velops all  ideas  of  motion  or  emotion  given  to  something; 
vacillation;  stirring;  a  communicated  movement  especial- 
ly, downward. 

The  Arabic  .k.  has  the  same  sense.  As  verb,  this  root 
indicates  the  action  of  drawing,  stretching,  extending  by 
pulling. 

DID  Action  of  moving,  rousing,  budging,  stirring, 
agitating;  going,  following,  happening,  arriving,  etc. 

1£     MI.     See  HO. 

The  Chaldaic  '0  is  an  indefinite  pronominal  relation 
represented  by  what?  The  Ethiopic  a&  (mai)  signifies 
properly  water. 

D'O  The  waters:  that  is  to  say,  the  mass  of  that 
which  is  eminently  mobile,  passive  and  suitable  for  elemen- 
tary fecundation. 


MCH.     The  root  T]N  ,  image  of  every  restric- 
tion, every  contraction,  united  to  the  sign  of  exterior  and 


390         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

passive  action,  constitutes  a  root  whence  spring  the  ideas 
of  attenuation,  weakening,  softening  of  a  hard  thing:  its 
liquefaction;  its  submission. 

t]0  That  which  is  attenuated,  debilitated,  weakened; 
distilled;  humiliated.  See  ?]10  •  ,.-- 

The  Arabic  dX»  expresses  in  general,  every  idea  of  ex- 
tenuation, absorption,  consumption.  By  £»,  is  under- 
stood the  brain. 


ML.  The  sign  of  exterior  and  passive  action. 
united  by  contraction  to  the  root  7N  ,  symbol  of  every 
elevation  and  every  extent,  composes  a  root  to  which  is  at- 
tached all  ideas  of  continuity,  plentitude,  continued  move- 
ment from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  a  thing:  thence, 
the  accessory  ideas  of  locution,  elocution,  eloquence,  nar- 
ration, etc. 

The  Arabic  ^  not  having  preserved  the  intellectual 
ideas  developed  by  the  Hebraic  root  is  limited  to  recalling 
that  sort  of  physical  plentitude  which  constitutes  las- 
situde, ennui,  dislike  to  work  and  the  negligence  which 
follows.  The  particular  ideas  expressed  by  the  Hebrew, 

are  found  again  in  part,  in  the  Arabic  words    ^U   jl«  J*. 

*7E  That  which  is  full,  entirely  formed;  that  which 
has  attained  its  complement  :  that  which  is  continued  with- 
out lacunas;  every  kind  of  locution,  narration,  oration;  a 
term,  an  expression. 

V?D  (intens.)  From  the  excess  of  plentitude 
springs  the  idea  of  exuberance  and  the  idea  of  that  which 
is  announced  outwardly;  in  a  figurative  sense,  elocution, 
speech. 

^ID  From  the  idea  of  exuberance  comes  that  of  am- 
putation; thence,  the  action  of  amputating,  circumcising, 
taking  away  that  which  is  superabundant,  superfluous. 

MM.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.     The  Arabic 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  391 

U»  seems  to  indicate  a  thing  livid,  or  which  renders 
livid;  a  thing  inanimate,  and  as  dead.  Literally  wax,  a 
mummy;  figuratively,  solitude,  a  desert. 

JQ     MX.     This  root,   composed   of  the  sign   of  ex- 

terior and  passive  action,  united  by  contraction  to  the 
root  [X,  symbol  of  the  sphere  of  activity  and  of  the  cir- 
cumscriptive  extent  of  being,  characterizes  all  specifica- 
tion, all  classification  by  exterior  forms;  all  figuration, 
determination,  definition,  qualification. 

The  Arabic  ^  has  not  followed  the  same  develop- 
ments as  the  Hebrew,  although  they  have  come  from  an 
identical  root  in  the  two  idioms,  as  is  proved  by  the  usage 
of  this  root  as  designative  relation  represented  by  of,  from, 

etc.  As  noun  the  Arabic  root  <>  designates  a  thing  ema- 
nated from  another,  a  gift;  as  verb,  it  characterizes  the 
state  of  that  which  is  benign,  beneficial;  action  of  that 
which  is  deprived  in  order  to  give,  to  distribute;  that 
which  is  weakened  to  reinforce,  impoverished  to  enrich, 
etc.  ' 

|P  The  kind  of  things,  their  exterior  figure,  mien, 
image,  that  is  conceived  ;  the  idea,  that  is  formed,  the  defini- 
tion that  is  given  to  it;  their  proper  measure,  number, 
quota. 

p£  Action  of  figuring,  defining,  forming  an  idea, 
an  image  of  things  :  action'  of  imagining;  action  of  measur- 
ing, numbering,  qualifying,  etc. 

TO     Form,  aspect  of  things;  their  mien,  figure,  etc. 


MS.  Every  dissolution,  literally  as  well  as 
figuratively  :  that  which  enervates,  which  takes  away  from 
physical  and  moral  strength. 

The  Arabic   ^  characterizes  the  state  of  that  which 
is  touched,  that  which  is  contiguous.     By  ^a*,  is  under- 


392         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

stood  to  suck;  by  Jo*  to  be  fatigued,  to  lose  one's  strength, 
to  fee  enervated. 

yfo  MOH.  That  which  circulates  or  which  causes 
circulation. 

f?yO  Inmost  part;  the  intestines,  the  viscera  of  the 
body :  the  finances  of  state,  money;  sand,  gravel,  etc. 

The  Arabic  *» ,  which  as  I  have  already  remarked  in 
speaking  of  the  root  NO  signifies  literally  with,  contained 
primitively  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebraic  root  fiD  which 
is  alluded  to  here;  but  its  developments  have  been  some- 
what different.  Thus,  whereas  the  Chaldaic  N^O  des 
ignates  a  thing  in  circulation,  as  a  piece  of  money,  the 

Arabic  U.  characterizes  that  which  is  uniform,  una- 
minous,  simultaneous. 

toyo  (comp.)  That  which  is  moderate,  exiguous, 
of  little  value,  common,  poor. 

^O  (comp.)  Action  of  pressing,  compressing, 
provoking. 

^JfO  (comp.)  That  which  is  tortuous;  distorted, 
deceitful;  a  transgression,  a  prevarication. 

rift  MPH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chal- 
daic signifies  a  sort  of  carpet  or  cloth. 

The  Arabic  verb  ^L.  signifies  the  condition  of  an  idiot ; 
a  false  or  stupid  mind. 

VJ3  MTZ.  This  root  characterizes  that  which  at- 
tains an  end,  a  finish ;  which  encounters,  finds,  obtains  the 
desired  object. 

The  Arabic  {Ja»  signifies  properly  to  suck. 

yW  (intens.)  Action  of  milking,  that  is  to  say, 
of  obtaining  milk :  thence,  the  idea  of  pressure,  expression; 
pressing  etc. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  393 

MCQ.     That  which  is  founded,  literally  as  well 

as  figuratively.     The  action  of  being  melted,  liquefied; 
growing  faint,  vanishing. 

The  Arabic  j.  expresses  the  state  of  that  which  ex- 
periences a  sentiment  of  tenderness,  which  covers,  shelters, 
loves,  etc. 

^Q  MR.  The  sign  of  exterior  and  passive  action 
being  united  to  that  of  movement  proper,  constitutes  a  root 
whose  purpose  is  to  characterize  that  which  gives  way  to 
its  impulsion,  which  extends  itself,  usurps  or  invades  space ; 
but  when  this  same  sign  is  linked  by  contraction  to  the 
root  '"Itf  symbol  of  elementary  principle,  then  the  root 
which  results  is  applied  to  all  the  modifications  of  this 
same  element. 

The  Arabic  ^  contained  primitively  the  same  ideas 
as  the  Hebraic  root.  In  the  modern  idiom  this  root  is 
limited  to  two  principal  acceptations;  the  first  is  applied 
to  the  action  of  passing,  exceeding,  going  beyond;  the  se- 
cond, to  the  state  of  being  bitter,  strong,  sturdy. 

"10  That  which  extending  and  rising,  affects  the  em- 
pire, the  dominion;  as  a  potentate :  that  which  exceeds  the 
limits  of  one's  authority ;  as  a  tyrant,  a  rebel :  that  which  is 
attached  to  the  idea  of  elementary  principle,  as  an  atom, 
a  drop. 

"1*10  (intens.)  That  which  is  exaggerated  in  its 
movement,  in  its  quality :  literally,  that  which  is  sour,  bit- 
ter, ferocious. 

*tt*0  (comp.)  That  which  gnaws,  which  corrodes; 
literally  and  figuratively. 

"1NO  or  "VINO  (comp.)  Thai  which  shines,  lightens, 
heats. 

"ino  (comp.)  That  which  changes,  varies,  passes, 
flows  off  rapidly. 

TlO    or    Tr     (comp.)     Change,  variation,  mutation. 


394         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


MSH.  From  the  union  of  the  sign  of  exterior 
activity  with  that  of  relative  movement,  or  by  contraction 
with  the  elementary  root  fiPK  springs  a  root  whose  purpose 
is  to  express  that  which  is  stirred  by  contractile  movement. 

The  Arabic  ^  signifies  properly  to  feel,  touch  soft- 
ly, brush  lightly. 

Wft  Everything  palpable,  compact,  gathered:  every 
pile,  as  a  crop,  a  harvest.  That  which  is  drawn,  extracted, 
shrunken,  as  silk  etc. 


MTH.  If  one  considers  this  root  as  composed 
of  the  sign  of  exterior  action,  united  to  that  of  reciprocity, 
or  this  same  sign  joined  by  contraction  to  the  root  J"tt* 
image  of  the  ipseity,  the  selfsameness  of  things,  it  will 
express  either  a  sympathetic  movement,  or  a  transition  ;  a 
return  to  universal  seity  or  sameness.  Thence  the  idea  of 
the  passing  of  life;  of  death. 

The  Arabic  ^  or  ^*,  has  lost  all  the  intellectual 
ideas  contained  in  the  Hebrew.  Today  it  is  only  extension 
or  physical  expansion,  a  sort  of  flux  of  any  thing  what- 
ever. £+*  indicates  dissolution  of  being,  and  ^  signi- 

fies death.    The  verb  oU   characterizes  that  which  is  dead, 
dissolved,  deprived  of  existence  proper. 

filE  Action  of  passing  away,  of  passing  into  another 
life,  of  dying:  state  of  being  dead;  death. 

J  N.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
nasal  sound;  as  symbolic  image  it  represents  the  son  of 
man,  every  produced  and  particular  being.  As  grammat- 
ical sign,  it  is  that  of  individual  and  produced  existence. 
When  it  is  placed  at  the  end  of  words  it  becomes  the 
augumentative  sign  f  ,  and  gives  to  the  being  every  exten- 
sion of  which  it  is  individually  susceptible.  The  Hebraist 
grammarians  in  placing  this  character  among  the  heeman- 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  395 

thes,  had  certainly  observed  that  it  expressed,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  words,  passive  action,  folded  within  itself,  and 
when  it  appeared  at  the  end,  unfoldment  and  augmenta- 
tion :  but  they  had  profited  little  by  this  observation. 

I  shall  not  repeat  here  what  I  have  said  in  my  Gram- 
mar concerning  the  use  that  the  idiomatic  genius  of  the 
Hebraic  tongue  made  of  this  character  in  the  composition 
of  compound  radical  verbs,  as  initial  adjunction. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  50. 

J$ J  NA.  Every  idea  of  youth,  newness ;  every  idea 
of  freshness,  grace,  beauty ;  every  idea  springing  from  that 
which  is  formed  of  a  new  production,  of  a  being  young  and 
graceful. 

The  Arabic  U   although  holding  to  the  same  primitive 

root  as  the  Hebrew,  has  developed,  however,  ideas  appar- 
ently opposed :  this  is  the  reason.  That  which  is  new,  of 
recent  birth,  is  graceful,  fresh,  pleasing;  but  it  is  also 
frail,  weak,  unsteady.  Now,  the  Hebraic  idiom  is  attached 
to  the  first  idea ;  the  Arabic  idiom  has  followed  and  devel- 
oped the  second.  Thence  the  verb  U>  ,  which  indicates 
the  state  of  that  which  is  frail,  feeble,  impotent ;  the  verb 
Jj,  expresses  the  action  of  letting  go,  being  separated, 
abandoning  a  thing,  etc.  What  proves  the  identity  of  the 
root  is  that  the  compound  verb  »\&  signifies  literally  to 
nurse  an  infant. 

fKO  That  which  is  beautiful,  lovable,  new,  young, 
fresh;  which  is  not  worn  out,  fatigued,  peevish ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  that  which  is  new,  tender,  pretty,  comely. 

tOJ  From  the  idea  of  youth  and  childhood  comes  the 
idea  of  that  which  has  not  attained  its  point  of  perfection, 
which  is  not  sufficiently  ripe,  in  speaking  of  fruit ;  not  suf- 
ficiently cooked,  in  speaking  of  meat ;  thence,  the  action  of 
acting  abruptly,  without  reflection,  contradicting  like  a 


396          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

child,  leading  without  experience,  being  new,  unaccustomed 
to  something,  acting  impetuously. 

Tltti  (comp.)  A  leather  bottle,  for  holding  water, 
milk  or  any  liquor  whatsoever. 

DJO  (comp.)  Action  of  exposing  the  substance  or 
source  of  something;  speaking  the  truth,  going  back  to  the 
cause.  See  ON. 

£]JO  (comp.)  Action  of  giving  way  to  a  passion,  to 
an  impulse;  to  commit  adultery;  to  apostatize,  to  worship 
strange  gods.  See  f)N . 

TiO  (comp.)  Action  of  passing  the  limits,  going  too 
far;  the  action  of  spitting.  See  p*  . 

JTtO    (comp.)     Every  idea  of  clamour,  lamentation. 

"IfcO  (comp.)  Action  of  being  execrable,  abominable. 
SeeTlN. 

2J  NB.  The  mysterious  root  DiK  being  united  by 
contraction  to  the  sign  of  produced  existence,  gives  rise 
to  a  new  root,  whence  emanate  all  ideas  of  divine  inspira- 
tion, theophany,  prophecy;  and  in  consequence,  that  of 
exaltation,  ecstasy,  rapture;  perturbation,  religious  hor- 
ror. 

The  Arabic  ^  indicates  in  general,  a  shudder;  ex- 
terior movement  caused  by  interior  passion.  As  onomato- 
poetic  and  idiomatic  root  ^  denotes  the  sudden  cry  of 
a  man  or  animal  keenly  roused.  Literally,  the  bark  of  a 
dog.  Figuratively  L»  and  ^»  express  the  action  of  one 
who  announces  the  will  of  heaven,  who  prophecies. 

The  Hebrew  word  N'3J ,  prophet,  is  formed  of  the  root 
33  here  alluded  to,  and  the  root  N*,  symbol  of  divine 
power. 

313  Action  of  speaking  by  inspiration ;  producing  ex- 
teriorly the  spirit  with  which  one  is  filled :  in  a  literal  and 
restricted  sense,  divulgation,  fructification,  germination. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  397 

In  this  last  sense,  it  is  the  root  DN,  which  is  united  simply 
to  the  sign  3  employed  as  initial  adjunction. 

J3  NG.  This  root  is  applied  to  every  kind  of  re- 
flected light,  after  the  manner  of  a  mirror;  of  solar  re- 
fraction :  thence,  the  ideas  of  opposition,  of  an  object  put 
on  the  opposite  side. 

The  Arabic  *J  indicates  every  idea  of  liquid  emission, 
watery  emanation. 

JirO  Action  of  leading  by  taking  possession  of  the  will 
of  some  one;  of  inducing,  deducing,  suggesting  ideas;  ac- 
tion of  giving  or  receiving  an  impulse,  opinion,  etc. 

*^3  ND.  From  the  union  of  the  signs  of  produced 
existence  and  natural  division,  springs  a  root  which  de- 
velops all  ideas  of  dispersion,  uncertain  movement,  agita- 
tion, flight,  exile,  trouble,  dissension. 

The  Arabic  y  develops  the  idea  of  that  which  evapo- 
rates, is  exhaled,  escapes.  This  word  is  applied  also  in 
Arabic  to  the  idea  of  equality,  similitude;  then  it  is  com- 
pound and  derived  from  the  primitive  T,  contracted  with 
the  sign  of  produced  existence  J. 

TO  That  which  is  moved,  stirred,  by  a  principle  of 
trouble  and  incertitude;  that  which  is  wandering,  agitated; 
that  which  goes  away,  flees,  emigrates,  etc. 

"M  An  agitation,  a  trembling,  a  disturbance  mani- 
fested by  movement. 

jl}  NHE.  This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the  root  *O 
and  as  it,  characterizes  that  which  is  fresh,  young,  recent : 
thence ; 

ITO  State  of  being  young,  alert,  vigorous,  pleasing-, 
in  consequence,  action  of  forming  a  colony,  founding  a  new 
habitation,  establishing  one's  flock  elsewhere,  etc. 


398          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

PU  Onomatopoetic  root  which  describes  the  long 
moaning  of  a  person  who  weeps,  suffers,  sobs. 

The  Arabic    **'>    depicts  every  kind  of  noise,  clamour. 

^  J  NOU.  The  convertible  sign  1»  image  of  the  bond 
which  unites  being  and  nothingness,  which  communicates 
from  one  nature  to  another,  being  joined  to  that  of  pro- 
duced existence,  produces  a  root  whose  sense,  entirely  vague 
and  indeterminate  is  fixed  only  by  means  of  the  terminative 
sign  by  which  it  is  accompanied. 

The  Arabic  </  is  an  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root 
which  depicts  the  aversion  that  one  experiences  in  doing 
a.  thing,  the  disgust  that  it  inspires.  As  verb,  it  is  the  ac- 
tion of  being  repugnant,  of  refusing,  of  being  unwilling. 

ffiJ     (comp.)    Every  idea  of  a  new  dwelling.    See  H.3- 

ITU  (comp.}  The  point  of  equilibrium  where  an 
agitated  thing  finds  repose:  action  of  resting,  remaining 
tranquil,  enjoying  peace  and  calm.  See  HJ . 

D13      (comp.)     Every  kind  of  bond. 
D13      (comp.)     Action  of  sleeping. 

|U  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  propagation  or  growth 
of  family.  See  p  • 

DU  (comp.)  Action  of  wavering  in  uncertainty, 
erring,  fleeing.  See  DJ  . 

W\}  (comp.)  That  which  changes,  that  which  lacks 
constancy  and  force,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively  . 

£]1J  (comp.)  Dispersion,  aspersion,  distillation:  ac- 
tion of  winnowing,  scattering;  of  ventilating,  etc. 

pj  (comp.)  Action  of  flourishing,  that  of  flying; 
being  resplendent.  See  p. 

p13  (comp.)  Every  pure,  beneficial,  nourishing 
fluid ;  milk;  action  of  suckling,  nursing  an  infant. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  399 

"W  (comp.)  A  luminous  production,  eclat,  splen- 
dour. See  *U « 

&?\3    (comp.)     That  which  is  unstable,  weak,  infirm. 

7J  NZ.  This  root  characterizes  that  which  over- 
flows, spreads,  disperses;  that  which  makes  its  influence 
felt  outwardly. 

The  Arabic  j»  has  the  same  sense.  It  is  literally,  the 
action  of  flowing,  passing  away. 

T\3  (intens.)  From  excess  of  dispersion  springs  the 
idea  of  the  breaking  of  that  which  is  solid;  the  distillation 
of  that  which  is  liquid. 

j"U  NH.  If  one  considers  this  root  as  formed  of 
the  united  signs  of  produced  existence  and  elementary 
existence,  it  implies  a  movement  which  leads  toward  an 
end:  if  one  considers  it  as  formed  of  the  same  sign  of 
produced  existence  united  by  contraction  to  the  root  HK» 
image  of  all  equilibratory  force,  it  furnishes  the  idea  of 
that  perfect  repose  which  results  for  a  thing  long  time 
agitated  contrarily,  and  the  point  of  equilibrium  which  it 
attains  where  it  dwells  immobile.  Thence, 

I"U  In  the  first  case,  and  in  a  restricted  sense,  a 
guide :  in  the  second  case,  and  in  a  general  sense,  the  repose 
of  existence.  See  fi\3 , 

The  Arabic  ~j  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts 
a  moan,  a  profound  sigh ;  thence,  all  ideas  of  lamentation, 
of  plaint.  The  intellectual  ideas  developed  by  the  Hebraic 
root  are  nearly  all  lost  in  the  Arabic.  Nevertheless  one 
still  finds  in  the  modern  idiom  the  verb  ~i  signifying  to 

stoop,  to  kneel.     The  compound  word     o-Uei  ,  indicates 
sometimes  patience,  tenacity. 


400          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

'rrtJ  (comp.)  That  which  is  extended  with  effort, 
which  is  divided,  separated:  a  valley  hollowed  out  by  a 
torrent:  a  share  of  inheritance:  the  sinuosity  of  a  running- 
stream;  taking  possession,  any  usurpation  whatsoever. 

OPU  (comp.)  That  which  ceases  entirely,  desists 
from  a  sentiment,  renounces  completely  a  care,  surrenders 
an  opinion,  calms  a  pain,  consoles,  etc. 

JTU  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  urgency,  haste,  importu- 
nity. SeefTl, 

"iru  (comp.)  See  1H« 
t^TU  ( comp. )  See  tTH . 
HAD  (comp.)  See  HTT. 

[33  ^T.  The  sign  of  produced  existence  united  to 
that  of  resistance  and  protection,  forms  a  root  whence 
emanate  all  ideas  of  nutation,  inflection,  inclination,  liason, 
literally  as  well  as  figuratively,  thence, 

D3  Every  kind  of  off-shoot,  tendril,,  reed  suitable  to 
braid,  tie,  plait :  a  thing  which  twines,  grows  upon  another, 
is  bound,  tied  to  it;  as  o  twig,  branch,  stick;  a  sceptre;  a 
mat,  a  bed;  etc.  See  M* 

The  Arabic  k;  has  not  preserved  the  ideas  developed 
by  the  Hebrew,  or  rather  the  Arabic  root  being  formed 
in  another  manner  has  expressed  a  different  sense.  In 
general,  the  verb  ki  characterizes  that  which  makes  effort 
to  separate  itself  from  the  point  at  which  it  is  arrested; 
in  particular,  it  is  to  jump,  to  escape,  to  be  emancipated. 

By  ±k  or  ly  is  understood  the  state  of  a  thing  suspended, 
separated  from  the  point  toward  which  it  inclines.  The 
Chaldaic  HD3  signifies  properly  eccentric. 

1}  NI.  Root  analogous  to  the  roots  &O  HJ  and  U 
whose  expression  it  manifests. 


BADICAL  VOCABULARY  401 

The  Arabic   j     indicates  the  state  of  that  which  is 

raw. 

P   (comp.)     An  offspring,  a  son.    See  p.     !^' 

TJ  (comp.)     Light    manifested    in    its    production, 

splendour.     See  "U. 

7p  NCH.  That  which  is  injurious  to  existence  ar- 
rests, restrains,  represses  it. 

Tp  A  blow,  a  lesion;  chastisement,  torment:  action 
of  rebuking,  chastising,  treating  harshly,  punishing;  bruis- 
ing, striking,  sacrificing;  etc. 

The  Arabic  D  i  presents  in  general  the  same  ideas 
as  the  Hebrew.  Is  it  the  same  with  the  Sriac  loj 


NL.     Every  idea  of  suite,  series,  sequence,  con- 
sequence: every  idea  of  abundant  succession,  of  effusion 

holding  to  the  same  source.       The  Arabic  words    JJ,     jli 

J^  ,  all  present  the  sense  of  succeeding,  following  in  great 
number,  furnishing,  giving,  rendering  abundantly. 

03  NM.  Individual  existence  represented  by  the 
sign  J,  being  universalized  by  the  adjunction  of  the  col- 
lective sign  D  ,  forms  a  root  whence  is  developed  the  idea 
of  sleep.  This  hieroglyphic  composition  is  worthy  of  closest 
attention.  One  is  inclined  to  believe  that  the  natural 
philosophy  of  the  ancient  Egyptians  regarded  sleep  as  a 
sort  of  universalization  of  the  particular  being.  See  Oil 
and  DU. 

The  Arabic    <j    only  participates  in  the  Hebraic  root 

in  the  case  where  the  verb  +i  signifies  to  exhale,  to  spread 
out,  in  speaking  of  odqurs  ;  for  when  it  expresses  the  action 
of  spreading  rumours,  cursing,  calumniating,  it  results 
from  another  formation.  Besides  it  can  be  remarked  that 
nearly  all  the  roots  which  are  composed  of  the  sign  3  are 


402         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

in  the  same  case;  and  this,  for  the  reason  shown  in  the 
grammar,  with  regard  to  this  sign  when  it  has  become 
initial  adjunction. 

?  J  NN.  The  sign  of  individual  and  produced  exist- 
ence, being  united  to  itself  as  augmentative  sign,  con- 
stitutes a  root  whose  use  is  to  characterize  the  continuity 
of  existence  by  generation.  It  is  a  new  production  which 
emanates  from  an  older  production  to  form  a  continuous 
chain  of  individuals  of  the  same  species. 

The  Arabic  ^    has  not  preserved  the  ideas  developed 

by  the  Hebraic  root.  It  can  only  be  remarked  that  jj> 
is  one  of  the  names  which  has  been  given  to  Venus,  that  is 
to  say,  to  the  generative  faculty  of  nature. 

pj  That  which  is  propagated  abundantly,  that  which 
spreads  and  swarms;  in  a  restricted  sense,  the  specie  of 
fish;  action  of  abounding,  increasing. 

P  Every  new  progeny  added  to  the  older,  every 
extension  of  lineage,  family,  race.  See  *3  • 

QJ  NS.  Every  idea  of  vacillation,  agitation,  liter- 
ally as  well  as  figuratively :  that  which  wavers,  which 
renders  uncertain,  wavering. 

DJ  In  a  restricted  sense,  a  flag,  an  ensign,  the  sail 
of  a  ship :  in  a  broader  sense,  a  movement  of  irresolution, 
uncertainty;  from  the  idea  of  flag  develops  that  of  putting 
in  evidence,  raising :  from  the  idea  of  irresolution,  that  of 
tempting,  of  temptation. 

The  Arabic  ^  has  only  an  onomatopoetic  root  which 
describes  the  noise  of  a  thing  floating,  as  water;  conse- 
quently, characterizing  literally,  that  which  imitates  the 
movement  of  waves;  figuratively,  that  which  is  given  over 
to  such  a  movement. 

yj  NH.  This  root  expresses  the  idea  of  everything 
weak,  soft,  feeble,  without  consistency.  The  Arabic  «j 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  403 

signifies  literally  an  herb  fresh  and  tender.  In  a  more 
extended  sense,  it  is  every  idea  of  movement  within  one- 
self, vacillation,  trepidation,  oscillation. 

tfti  That  which  is  weak,  without  strength ;  that  which 
is  variable;  which  changes,  vacillates,  totters;  which  goes 
from  one  side  to  another:  it  is,  in  a  broader  sense,  the 
impulse  given  to  a  thing  to  stir  and  draw  it  from  its  torpor. 

D#3  (camp.)  That  which  is  easy,  pleasant,  conven- 
ient, agreeable. 

"iyj  (comp.)  In  a  restricted  sense,  a  new  born 
infant:  in  a  figurative  sense,  the  primary  impulse  given 
to  vital  element. 

rp    NPH.     Every  idea  of  dispersion,  ramification, 

effusion,  inspiration ;  of  movement  operated  inwardly  from 
without,  or  outwardly  from  within:  distillation  if  the 
object  is  liquid,  a  scattering  if  the  object  is  solid.  See  f]13  • 

The  Arabic  *J*  has  in  general,  the  same  ideas.  In 
particular,  it  is,  in  the  modern  idiom,  the  action  of  snuffing: 
blowing  the  nose. 

VJ    NTZ.     That  which  reaches  its  term,  end,  extreme 

point:  that  which  is  raised  as  high  and  spreads  as  far  as 
it  can  be,  according  to  its  nature. 

The  Arabic  ^  does  not  differ  from  the  Hebrew  in 
the  radical  sense.  In  a  restricted  sense  one  understands 
by  the  verb  ^ ,  the  action  of  giving  a  theme,  furnishing 
authority,  confirming,  demonstrating  by  text,  by  argument, 
etc. 

JO  The  end  of  every  germination,  the  flower,  and 
the  action  of  blossoming;  the  term  of  all  organic  effort,  the 
feather,  and  the  action  of  flying;  the  end  of  all  desire; 
splendour,  and  the  action  of  being  resplendent,  gleaming, 
shining.  See  pJ« 


404          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Ifm  (intens.)  From  the  idea  of  attaining  to  the 
highest  point,  comes  that  of  flying;  from  that  of  flying, 
that  of  vulture  and  every  bird  of  prey;  from  this  latter, 
taken  in  the  figurative  and  intensive  sense,  that  of  ravag- 
ing, devastating,  wrangling  over  plunder,  stealing,  robbing; 
etc. 

HJ    NCQ.     This  root,  which  contains  the  idea  of 

void,  is  applied  metaphorically  to  that  which  is  related 
to  this  idea:  thence  pJ,  every  hollow,  cavernous  place; 
every  excavated  space :  an  innocent  being,  one  without  vice, 
without  evil  thought;  that  which  is  free  from  all  stain, 
impurity;  which  is  purified,  absolved;  fair,  white.  In  a 
figurative  and  restricted  sense,  milk;  the  nursling  which 
sucks,  an  infant.  See  pO 

The  Arabic  ^  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts 
every  kind  of  deep,  raucous,  sound,  like  the  grunting  of  a 
pig,  cawing  of  a  crow,  etc. 

H  J  NR.  The  root  *T)K ,  united  by  contraction  to 
the  sign  of  produced  existence,  constitutes  a  root  whose 
purpose  is  to  characterize  that  which  propagates  light, 
literally  as  well  as  figuratively :  thence, 

*U  A  lamp,  a  beacon,  a  torch :  a  sage,  a  guide;  that 
which  enlightens,  shines,  is  radiant:  metaphorically,  a 
public  festivity,  an  extreme  gladness.  See  "TO  and  *l^ » 

The  Arabic  j  signifies  literally,  fire. 

{J7J  NSH.  This  root  which  is  applied  to  the  idea  of 
things  temporal  and  transient,  in  general,  expresses  their 
instability,  infirmity,  decrepitude,  caducity:  it  charac- 
terizes that  which  is  feeble  and  weak,  easy  to  seduce,  vari- 
able, transitory;  literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 

The  Arabic  ^Jj  characterizes  in  particular,  the  absorp- 
tion of  water  by  the  earth ;  in  the  modern  idiom  it  signifies, 
to  whisk  flies. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  405 

tW  Every  idea  of  mutation,  permutation,  subtrac- 
tion, distraction,  cheating,  deception,  weakness,  wrong,  etc. 

J1^  NTH.  Every  corporeal  division.  In  a  restricted 
sense,  a  member. 

The  Arabic  jj  characterizes  extension  given  to  any- 
thing whatsoever.  The  verb  jj  expresses  literally,  the 
action  of  oozing  through,  of  perspiring. 

rU  A  morsel  of  something,  a  piece,  a  portion;  a  sec- 
tion :  action  of  parcelling  out,  of  dissecting,  etc. 


Q  S.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
sibilant  sound,  and  is  applied  as  onomatoposia  to  depicting 
all  sibilant  noises :  certain  observant  writers  among  whom 
I  include  Bacon,  have  conceived  this  letter  S,  as  the  symbol 
of  the  consonantal  principle,  in  the  same  manner  that  they 
conceived  the  letter  H  ,  or  the  aspiration  H,  as  that  of  the 
vocal  principle.  This  character  is,  in  Hebrew,  the  image 
of  the  bow  whose  cord  hisses  in  the  hands  of  man.  As 
grammatical  sign,  it  is  that  of  circular  movement  in  that 
which  is  related  to  the  circumferential  limit  of  any  sphere. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  60. 

$$Q  SA.  Every  idea  of  circumference,  tour,  circuit, 
rotundity. 

nXD  Every  round  thing  suitable  for  containing  any- 
thing; as  a  sack,  a  bag.  In  a  figurative  sense,  it  is  the 
action  of  emigrating,  changing  the  place,  taking  one's  bag. 

The  Arabic  L,  >r  I U,  designates  that  which  disturbs, 
harms. 

fXD      (comp.)     Covering  for  the  feet,  sandals. 

^Q  SB.  When  this  root  is  conceived  as  the  prod- 
uct of  the  circumferential  sign  united  to  that  of  interior 


406          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

action  D,  it  expresses  every  idea  of  occasional  force,  cause, 
reason  :  but  when  it  is  the  root  DN  ,  image  of  every  con- 
ceivable fructification,  joined  by  contraction  to  this  same 
sign,  then  this  root  is  applied  to  that  which  surrounds, 
circumscribes,  envelops. 

The  Arabic  ^+  contains  in  general  all  the  accepta- 

tions of  the  Hebraic  root;  but  inclining  toward  those  which 
are  more  particularized  in  a  physical  sense  than  in  a  moral 
one. 

3D  Every  kind  of  contour,  circuit,  girdle;  a  circum- 
stance, an  occasion,  a  cause. 

The  Arabic  <^...  has  the  same  sense;  but  the  primitive 

root  y  «  having  deviated  toward  the  physical,  signifies  to 
distort  a  thing,  to  take  the  wrong  side;  to  curse  someone, 
to  injure  him,  etc. 

DD  and  DDD  (intens.)  Action  of  turning,  going 
round,  circuiting,  enveloping,  circumventing,  warning,  con- 
verting, perverting,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^*  signifies  to  put  a  thing  upside  down; 
to  pour  out,  upset. 

JQ  SG.  The  circumferential  sign  united  to  the 
organic  sign,  constitutes  a  root  whose  purpose  is  to  depict 
the  effect  of  the  circumferential  line  opening  more  and 
more,  and  departing  from  the  centre:  thence, 

J1D  All  ideas  of  extension,  augmentation,  growth  : 
physical  possibility.  See  J1D  and  JPD  • 

The  Arabic  ^-  offers  in  general,  the  same  sense  as  the 
Hebrew. 


SD.  This  root  whose  effect  is  opposed  to  that 
of  the  preceding  one,  characterizes,  on  the  contrary,  the 
circumferential  line  entering  upon  itself,  and  approach- 
ing the  centre:  thence, 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  407 

"TD     All  ideas  of  repression,  retention,  closing. 

The  Arabic  ju  has  not  separated  from  the  Hebrew 
in  the  radical  sense.  As  verb  it  is  literally  the  action  of 
closing.  It  must  be  remarked  that  the  verb  at-  which 
signifies  to  master,  to  dominate,  is  attached  to  the  root  T » 
a*  which  indicates  properly  the  hand,  and  the  power  of 
which  it  is  the  emblem. 

J^Q     SEH.     Root  analogous  to  ND, 

The  Arabic  A«  indicates  the  circumference  of  the 
buttocks :  the  rump. 

VfD  That  which  is  round  of  form :  a  tower,  a  dome ; 
the  moon;  a  necklace;  bracelets,  etc. 

10  SOU.  Root  analogous  to  ND  and  HD , 
The  Arabic  j*  does  not  differ  from  the  Hebrew  as  to 
the  radical  sense;  but  the  developments  of  this  root  being 
applied  in  Arabic,  to  the  idea  of  what  is  bent  rather  than 
to  what  is  round,  characterizes  consequently,  that  which 
is  bad  rather  than  that  which  is  good :  thence  the  verbs 

L.  or     y.   which  express  the  state  of  what  is  bent,  false, 
malicious,  traitorous,  depraved,  corrupt,  etc. 

mD  A  veil,  a  garment  which  surrounds,  envelops, 
undulates. 

J1D  (comp.)  Action  of  being  extended  by  going 
away  from  the  centre;  yielding;  offering  a  facility,  a  pos- 
sibility. 

TlD  (comp.)  Action  of  welding ;  closing,  shutting ; 
that  which  is  secret,  closed,  covered. 

T]1D     (comp.)     Action  of  anointing.    See  t|D« 

[ID  (comp.)  That  which  shines,  that  which  rend- 
ers joyous.  See  f D  • 

DID      (comp.)     A  horse.     See  DD. 


408          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

t]1D  (comp.)  That  which  finishes  a  thing;  makes 
an  end  of  it ;  to  sweep  away;  to  fulfill.  See  f)D » 

"YlD  (comp.)  That  which  turns  around,  bends,  is 
perverted,  changes  sides,  is  made  adverse;  that  which  is 
audacious,  independent;  that  which  is  raised,  bred,  trained, 
turned,  given  a  proper  outline,  directed  etc.  See  *)D . 

HID  (comp.)  Action  of  working  in  the  shadow  of 
something,  of  being  covered  with  a  veil,  of  seducing, 
persuading,  etc.  See  fiD. 

JQ     SZ.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

F|Q  SH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
— -  expresses  the  action  of  being  dissolved  in  water,  of 

being  poured  out,  spread  over,  etc.  The  Chaldaic  HID  sig- 
nifies to  swim;  to  wash,  to  be  purified  in  water :  the  Syriac 
and  Samaritan  have  the  same  sense. 

(1HD    Action  of  cleansing,  ivashing. 

*HD      Every  idea  of  cleansing. 

£]HD  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  subversion,  sweeping 
away;  a  torrent. 

^HD  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  the  circulation  of  pro- 
duce, of  merchandise;  action  of  negotiating,  selling,  buy- 
ing, etc. 

t^HD  ( comp. )  That  which  springs  from  corruption : 
that  which  swarms  from  putrid  water. 

[3D  ST.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
k-  characterizes  in  general,  a  vehement,  illegal  action. 

The  compound  verb  Ik-  signifies  literally  to  command  with 
arrogance,  to  act  like  a  despot. 

^Q  SI.  Root  analogous  to  HD  and  ID.  The  Arabic 
^  coming  from  the  radical  idea  taken  in  a  good  sense, 
characterizes  that  which  is  regular,  equal;  that  which  is 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  409 

made  in  accordance  with  its  own  nature:  thus  the  verb 
u>.  or  U-  has  reference  to  milk  which  flows  without 
being  drawn. 

JPD  (comp.)  An  extension:  a  thing  which  has 
yielded,  which  has  gone  away  from  the  centre.  In  a  re- 
stricted sense,  scoria.  See  J1D  • 

*VD       (comp.)     Curvature.     See  *)D. 

7]0  SCH.  The  circumferential  sign  united  by  con- 
traction of  the  root  7jN,  image  of  every  restriction  and  ex- 
ception, forms  a  root  whose  use  is  to  characterize  a  thing 
which  is  round,  closed,  fitting  to  contain,  to  cover;  thence, 

T]D  A  sack,  veil,  covering  of  any  sort:  that  which 
envelops,  covers,  obstructs.  In  a  figurative  sense,  the  mul- 
titude of  men  which  cover  the  earth;  ointment  with  which 
the  skin  is  covered  and  which  closes  the  pores.  See  TpD. 

The  Arabic  dX-i  has  preserved  few  of  the  expressions 
which  hold  to  the  radical  sense.  Its  principle  develop- 
ments spring  from  the  onomatopoetic  root  i*V>-  which 

depicts  the  effect  of  the  effort  that  one  makes  in  striking. 
Literally  it  is  striking  a  thing  to  make  it  yield. 


SL.     Every  kind  of   movement  which  raises, 
exalts,  takes  away,  ravishes.  » 

The  Arabic  J*.  signifies  in  a  restricted  sense,  to  draw 
to  one's  self. 

^D  In  a  very  restricted  sense,  a  leap,  a  gambol;  in 
a  broad  and  figurative  sense,  the  esteem  or  value  that  is 
put  upon  things.  Also  a  heap  of  anything;  a  thing  formed 
of  many  others  raised  one  upon  another,  as  a  mound  of 
earth,  etc. 


SM.     The  circumferential  sign  being  universal- 
ized by  the  collective  sign  D,  becomes  the  symbol  of  the 


410         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

olfactory  sphere,  of  every  fragrant  influence  given  to  the 
air:  thence, 

DD     Every  kind  of  aromatic. 

The  Arabic  ^  appears  to  have  preserved  more  of  the 
developments  and  even  more  of  the  radical  force  than  the 
Hebraic  analogue.  This  root  characterizes  that  which  is 
penetrated  with  force  whether  good  or  evil.  Thence,  in 
the  modern  idiom  the  verb  ^,  which  signifies  to  bore  a 
hole,  to  pierce. 

|D      SN.    The  circumferential  sign  having  attained 

its  greatest  dimension  by  the  addition  of  the  augmentative 
sign,  f  ,  becomes  the  symbol  of  the  visual  sphere  and  of 
afl  luminous  influence:  thence, 

|D  Every  kind  of  light,  of  bright  colour,  in  general ; 
in  particular  the  colour  red,  as  the  most  striking.  This 
colour,  taken  in  a  bad  sense,  as  being  that  of  blood,  has 
furnished  the  idea  of  rage  and  rancour  in  the  Chaldaic 
WD  ;  but  the  Syriac  has  only  a  luminous  effect,  as  is  proved 
by  the  word  jm  which  signifies  the  moon.  The  Hebrew 
has  drawn  from  it  the  name  of  the  most  brilliant  month 
of  the  year,  fVD  the  month  of  May.  See  J1D  • 

The  Arabic  ^  characterizes  that  which  illumines 
things  and  gives  them  form  by  shaping,  polishing  them; 
in  the  modern  idiom  the  verb  ^  signifies  to  sharpen. 

OD  SS.  The  circumferential  sign  being  added  to 
itself,  constitutes  a  root  which  denotes  in  an  intensive 
manner  every  eccentric  movement  tending  to  increase  a 
circle  and  give  it  a  more  extended  diameter :  thence,  every 
idea  of  going  away  from  the  centre,  of  emigration,  travel : 
thence, 

DID  A  horse;  that  is  to  say  an  animal  which  aids 
in  emigration,  travel.  See  ND  and  #D . 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  411 

The  Arabic  ^L.  belongs  evidently  to  the  primitive 
root  DD,  and  designates  in  general,  a  thing  which  is  car- 
ried from  the  centre  to  the  circumference,  to  administer, 
to  govern. 

yQ  SH.  That  which  is  rapid,  audacious,  vehement, 
fitted  for  the  race;  thence, 

n^D  A  courier,  a  thing  ivhich  rushes;  figuratively 
an  arrogant  person,  a  calumniator. 

The  Syriac  las*  has  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebrew. 
The  Arabic  •-»  appears  to  have  deviated  much  from  the 
radical  sense.  It  is  literally,  a  straw;  but  figuratively,  it 
is  that  which  makes  the  subject  of  a  deliberation. 

"tyD  (comp.}  That  which  serves  for  support,  prop, 
corrob oration.  See  "TD« 

f|^D  (comp.)  That  which  is  extended  by  branching 
out ;  a  genealogy;  a  series. 

*\J?D  (comp.)  A  violent,  tumultuous  movement;  a 
tempest,  a  storm. 

JHQ  SPH.  Every  idea  of  summit,  end,  finish ;  any- 
thing which  terminates,  consummates,  achieves. 

f|D  The  extremity  of  a  thing,  the  point  where  it 
ceases ;  its  achievement,  consummation,  end :  the  defection, 
the  want  of  this  thing:  the  border,  top,  summit,  threshold; 
that  which  commences  or  terminates  a  thing;  that  which 
is  added  for  its  perfection:  also,  reiteration  of  the  same 
action,  an  addition,  supplement;  the  final  thing  where 
many  others  come  to  an  end:  a  time  involving  many 
actions. 

The  Arabic  ,_i-  has  preserved  of  the  radical  sense  only 
the  idea  of  a  thing  reduced  to  powder,  which  is  taken  as 
medicine.  The  Syriac  ao>  characterizes  every  kind  of  con- 
summation, of  reducing  to  powder  by  fire. 


412          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

f|5D  (intens.)  Action  of  approaching,  drawing 
near,  touching  the  threshold,  receiving  hospitality. 

VQ      STZ.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

HQ  SCQ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Samarit- 
an p}  ,  likewise  the  Syriac  an» ,  indicate  a  movement  of 
evasion,  of  leaving;  of  germination. 

The  Arabic  £~  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  desig- 
nates the  action  of  striking. 

^Q  SR.  The  circumferential  sign  joined  to  that 
of  movement  proper,  constitutes  a  root  whence  issue  all 
ideas  of  disorder,  perversion,  contortion,  apostasy;  also 
those  of  force,  audacity,  return,  education,  new  direction, 
etc. 

The  Arabic  ^  offers  in  general,  the  same  radical 
character  as  the  Hebrew  but  its  developments  differ  quite 
obviously.  The  verb  ^-  signifies  in  particular,  to  be 
diverted;  that  is  to  say,  turned  from  serious  occupations. 

*)D  and  T)D  (comp.)  That  which  is  disordered, 
rebellious,  refractory;  which  leaves  its  sphere  to  cause 
trouble,  discord;  that  which  is  vehement,  audacious,  inde- 
pendent, strong:  that  which  distorts,  turns  aside  takes 
another  direction;  is  corrected,  etc.  See  "VlD. 

SSH.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

STH.  Every  kind  of  mutual,  sympathetic  cov- 
ering, every  kind  of  veil,  of  darkness.  The  Arabic  j^. 
indicates  the  parts  of  the  human  body  that  must  be  veiled. 
The  Hebrew,  as  well  as  the  Chaldaic  IfiD  ,  characterizes 
winter,  the  dark  season  when  nature  is  covered  with  a 
veil.  See  HID . 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  413 

V      U.H.WH.     This  character  should  be  considered 

under  the  double  relation  of  vowel  and  consonant.  Follow- 
ing its  vocal  acceptation,  it  represents  the  interior  of  the 
ear  of  man,  and  becomes  the  symbol  of  confused,  dull, 
inappreciable  noises;  deep  sounds  without  harmony.  Pol- 
lowing  its  consonantal  acceptation,  it  belongs  to  the  gut- 
tural sound  and  represents  the  cavity  of  the  chest.  Under 
both  relations  as  grammatical  sign,  it  is  in  general,  that 
of  material  sense,  image  of  void  and  nothingness.  As 
vowel,  it  is  the  sign  },  considered  in  its  purely  physical 
relations:  as  consonant,  it  is  the  sign  of  that  which  is 
crooked,  false,  perverse  and  bad. 
Its  arithmetical  number  is  70. 

W  HA.  Physical  reality.  This  root  is  the  anal- 
ogue of  the  roots  )fil  and  W . 

3y     HB.     The  sign   of  material   sense   united  by 

contraction  to  the  root  3N,  symbol  of  all  covetous  desire 
and  all  fructification,  constitutes  a  root  which  hierogly- 
phically  characterizes  the  material  centre:  it  is,  in  a  less 
general  sense,  that  which  is  condensed,  thickened;  which 
becomes  heavy  and  dark. 

The  Arabic  ^f,  signifies  properly  to  charge  with  a 

burden;  by  ^fc  ,  is  understood  to  finish,  to  draw  to  an 
end,  to  become  putrid. 

1)}  Every  idea  of  density,  darkness;  a  cloud,  a  thick 
vapour;  a  plank,  a  joist. 

y\y  Action  of  being  condensed,  thickened,  of  becom- 
ing palpable,  cloudy,  sombre,  opaque;  etc.  See  DIN  of 
which  y\V  is  the  degeneration  and  intensifying. 

jy  HG.  Every  kind  or  ardour,  desire,  vehement 
fire,  which  increases  constantly;  every  active  warmth,  as 
much  literally  as  figuratively. 


414          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ^  is  an  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root 
which  characterizes  a  violent  noise;  the  roaring  of  winds 
and  waves.  £  depicts  also  in  an  onomatopoetic  manner 
the  noise  made  by  water  when  drunk  or  swallowed. 

M  In  a  restricted  sense,  the  action  of  baking; 
that  which  has  been  exposed  to  the  heat  of  a  hot  oven,  a 
cake,  etc. 

*^y     HD.     The  sign  of  material  sense,  contracted 

with  the  root  *TN,  symbol  of  relative  unity,  image  of  every 
emanation  and  every  division,  constitutes  a  very  important 
root  which,  hieroglyphically,  develops  the  idea  of  time,  and 
of  all  things  temporal,  sentient,  transitory.  Symbolically 
and  figuratively  it  is  worldly  voluptuousness,  sensual  plea- 
sure in  opposition  to  spiritual  pleasure ;  in  a  more  restrict- 
ed sense,  every  limited  period,  every  periodic  return. 

The  Arabic  jt&,  which  is  related  in  general,  to  the 
radical  sense  of  the  Hebrew,  signifies  in  particular,  to 
count,  number,  calculate,  etc. ;  the  word  j£,  the  time  which 
follows  the  actual  time;  tomorrow. 

Ijf  The  actual  time;  a  fixed  point  in  time  or  space 
expressed  by  the  relations  to,  until,  near :  a  same  state  con- 
tinued, a  temporal  duration,  expressed  in  like  manner  by, 
now,  while,  still;  a  periodic  return  as  a  month;  a  thing 
constant,  certain,  evident,  palpable,  by  which  one  can  give 
testimony;  a  witness. 

*U?  or  "HP  (intens.)  Continued  time  furnishes 
the  idea  of  eternity,  stability,  constancy;  thence,  the  action 
of  enacting,  constituting,  stating,  etc. 

TIP  Action  of  returning  periodically  furnishes  the 
idea  of  evidence,  certitude;  action  of  returning  unceasingly, 
furnishes  the  idea  of  accumulation;  that  of  accumulation, 
the  ideas  of  riches,  plunder,  prey;  thence,  the  action  of 
despoiling :  now  these  latter  ideas,  being  linked  with  those 
of  sentient  pleasures  contained  in  the  primitive  idea  of 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  415 

time,  produce  all  those  of  voluptuousness,  sensuality,  de- 
lights, beauty,  grace,  adornment,  etc. 

Ply,  1J7   HEH,  HOU.     That  which  is  sentient  in 

general;  obvious  to  the  senses:  physical  reality.  Super- 
ficies, the  exterior  form  of  things.  Their  growth,  material 
development. 

The  Arabic  4*  has  not  preserved  the  intellectual  ideas 
developed  by  the  Hebraic  root.  It  is  today,  only  an  onoma- 
topoetic  root  depicting  a  sentiment  of  self-sufficiency, 
pride,  f,  signifies  literally  to  bark. 

my  Every  inflection,  every  circumferential  form; 
every  kind  of  curvature,  inversion,  circle,  cycle;  everything 
concave  or  convex.  In  a  figurative  sense  perversion,  in- 
iquity; state  of  being  perverse,  iniquitous,  deceitful,  vi- 
cious. 

fiy  (comp.)  Action  of  fleeing  for  refuge  to  any 
person  or  place. 

Diy     (comp.)     Action  of  making  an  irruption. 

*?iy  (comp.)  To  act  with  duplicity,  hypocrisy;  to 
be  curved  as  a  dais,  a  yoke,  foliage,  etc.  See  ty* 

py  (comp.)  Action  of  being  joined  corporeally; 
cohabiting.  See  fy. 

£]iy  (comp.)  Action  of  being  raised,  sustained  in 
the  air,  flying;  as  vapour,  winged  fowl  or  bird,  etc.  See  t\y. 

py  (comp.)  Action  of  consolidating;  strengthen- 
ing. SeeJ>y. 

piy     (comp.)     Action  of  compressing.     See  py. 

"liy  (comp.)  Action  of  impassioning,  exciting,  put- 
ting into  movement :  action  of  involving,  blinding,  etc. 
See  ^y . 

Wiy  (comp. )  Action  of  assembling,  composing,  put- 
ting together.  See  V?y . 

IViy  ( comp. )  Action  of  communicating  a  movement 
of  perversion,  of  perverting.  See  AT . 


416          THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  KESTORED 

fy     HUZ.     Every  idea  of  sentient,  material  force, 

of  physical  demonstration :  that  which  is  strong ;  corrobor- 
ative auxiliary. 

\y  This  is,  in  general,  a  thing  which  is  strengthened 
by  being  doubled,  by  being  added  to  itself.  Every  body 
which  is  hard,  rough,  firm,  persistent,  as  a  stone,  rock, 
fortress :  that  which  enjoys  great,  generative  vigour,  as  a 
goat;  that  which  is  vigorous,  audacious;  that  which  serves 
as  prop,  support,  lining,  substitute;  that  which  corrobor- 
ates, strengthens,  encourages,  etc.  See  HJ7 . 

The  Arabic  y  ^virile  diverted  very  slightly  from  the 
radical  sense  of  the  Hebraic  root  has,  however,  acquired 
a  great  number  of  developments  which  are  foreign  to  the 

Hebrew.  Thus  the  root  ^  characterizes  that  wThich  is 
precious,  dear,  rare,  worthy  of  honour;  that  which  is 
cherished,  honoured,  sought  after,  etc.  The  verb  j,  sig- 
nifies properly  to  pierce. 

fiy  HUH.  Koot  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Sam- 
aritan fly  indicates  in  general,  material  substance,  and 
in  particular,  wood. 

{^y  HUTH.  This  root  develops  the  idea  of  resist- 
ance overcome  by  physical  means. 

toy  A  notch,  a  cut,  made  upon  a  thing:  a  stylus,  a 
chisel  for  inscribing,  engraving;  every  kind  of  incision, 
line,  cleft.  See  tOiy. 

The  Arabic  ]o*   offers  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebrew. 

^c  signifies  to  wear  out  in  speaking  of  clothes;  L*  to 
plunge  into  the  water. 

^y     HI.     This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the  roots  H# 

and  1J7 ,  whose  physical  expression  it  manifests.  It  is,  in 
general,  growth,  material  development;  accumulation. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  417 

The  Arabic  ^  indicates  an  overwhelming  burden,  a, 
fatigue;  £  signifies  to  goad. 

£0\T  (comp.)  Action  of  cleaving  the  air  with  rapid- 
ity, swooping  down  upon  something:  literally,  a  bird  of 
prey. 

fry  (comp.)  That  which  tends  to  be  united,  to 
amalgamate  strongly;  a  violent  desire,  keen  sympathy; 
thirst.  See  Dtf. 

JUf  (comp.)  Corporeal  manifestation;  the  eye. 
See  ]?. 

Wy  (comp.)  That  which  manifests  a  thing  which 
is  volatile,  dry,  inflammable,  arid;  thence,  that  which 
languishes  for  lack  of  humidity.  See  £]Jf . 

"Vy  (comp.)  That  which  manifests  a  physical  im- 
pulsion, a  general  attraction ;  a  common  centre  of  activity, 
a  supervision :  as  a  city,  fort,  rampart,  body-guard.  See  *U?. 

^y  HUGH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  In  compo- 
sition it  has  the  sense  of  the  Arabic  »*ip,  which  charac- 
terizes that  which  is  held  with  effort,  which  delays,  defers, 
etc. 

In  a  restricted  sense  tile-  signifies  to  soil,  to  stain. 


HUL.  The  material  sign    tf  considered  under 

its  vocal  relation,  being  united  to  that  of  expansive  move- 
ment, composes  a  root  which  characterizes,  hieroglyphical- 
ly  and  figuratively,  primal  matter,  its  extensive  force,  its 
vegetation,  its  development  in  space,  its  elementary  energy : 
this  same  sign,  considered  as  consonant  changes  the  ex- 
pression of  the  root  which  it  constitutes,  to  the  point  of 
making  it  represent  only  ideas  of  crime,  fraud,  perversity. 
The  Arabic  J*  has  lost  nearly  all  the  intellectual 
ideas  characterized  by  the  Hebraic  root.  In  a  restricted 


418          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

sense  Jo  signifies  to  give  up  to  physical  relaxation,  to 
grow  weak,  to  become  effeminate,  to  be  made  sick,  and  the 
verb  JP  ,  the  formation  of  seed  in  the  plant. 

^y  Material  extent;  its  progression,  its  indefinite 
extension,  expressed  by  the  relations  toward,  "by,  for,  on 
account  of,  notwithstanding,  according  to,  etc.  Its  aggre- 
gative power,  its  growth  by  juxtaposition,  expressed  by 
upon,  over,  above,  along  with,  near,  adjoining,  about,  over- 
head, beyond,  etc. 

ty  or  ^hy  (intens.)  That  which  grows,  extends, 
rises,  mounts;  that  which  is  high,  eminent,  superior;  the 
aggregated,  superficial  part  of  anything  whatsoever:  that 
which  constitutes  the  form,  the  factor,  the  exterior  ap- 
pearance; the  labour  of  things;  an  extension,-  a  heap;  etc. 

*?W  Every  kind  of  material  development  ;  that  which 
is  raised  above  another  thing:  a  fcetus  in  the  womb  of  the 
mother,  an  infant  at  the  breast;  a  leaf  upon  the  tree;  every 
manner  of  acting  conformable  to  matter;  every  appearance, 
every  superficies  as  much  literally  as  figuratively;  the 
state  of  being  double,  false,  hypocritical,  etc.  See 


HUM.     Matter  universalized  by  its  faculties: 

tendency  of  its  parts  one  toward  another  ;  the  force  which 
makes  them  gravitate  toward  the  general  mass,  which 
brings  them  to  aggregation,  accumulation,  conjunction; 
the  force  whose  unknown  cause  is  expressed,  by  the  rela- 
tions with,  toward,  among,  at. 

Dy  Every  idea  of  union,  junction,  conjunction,  near- 
ness :  a  bond,  a  people,  a  corporation. 

The  Arabic  **  presents  in  general  the  same  sense  as 
the  Hebrew.  As  a  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  generalizing,  of 
making  common.  By  Jf.  is  understood  a  painful  condi- 
tion, a  sorrow,  an  uneasiness,  etc. 

DOy  (intens.)  Every  union  in  great  number;  a 
multitude  :  action  of  gathering,  covering,  hiding,  obscuring, 
heating  by  piling  up.  See  D'J/'o 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  419 

jy     HUN.     Material  void   embodied,   made   heavy, 

obscure,  dark.  In  considering  here  the  root  1# ,  image  of 
every  superficies,  every  inflection,  united  by  contraction 
to  the  augmentative  sign  (,  one  sees  easily  an  entire  inflec- 
tion: if  this  inflection  is  convex,  it  is  a  circle,  a  globe;  if 
it  is  a  concave,  it  is  a  hole,  a  recess. 

\y  and  \W  (intens.)  A  space,  a  gloomy  air,  a 
thick  vapour,  a  cloud. 

The  Arabic  ^  signifies  in  general,  to  appear,  to  be 
obvious  to  the  senses,  to  be  shown  under  a  material  form. 
In  an  abstract  sense,  it  is  a  designative  relation  repre- 
sented by  from. 

py  Action  of  darkening,  of  thickening  vapours,  of 
gathering  clouds;  action  of  forming  a  body;  of  inhabiting, 
cohabiting;  the  idea  of  a  corporation,  troop,  corps,  people, 
association;  of  a  temporal  dwelling;  the  idea  of  every  cor- 
ruption attached  to  the  body  and  to  bodily  acts ;  vice :  that 
which  is  evil;  that  which  afflicts,  humiliates,  affects;  in  a 
restricted  sense  a  burden;  a  crushing  occupation;  poverty, 
etc. 

|*y  From  the  idea  attached  to  the  manifestation  of 
bodies,  comes  that  of  the  eye,  and  of  everything  which  is 
related  thereunto.  In  a  metaphorical  sense,  a  source,  a 
fountain,  etc.  See  p)?  and  J*J7« 

]V  Onomatopoetic  root  expressing  a  deep  breath, 
either  in  lamenting,  groaning  or  crying;  thence, 

\y  A  cry,  clamour,  evocation,  response;  a  keen  tight- 
ness of  breath,  suffocation,  oppression,  literally  as  well  as 
figuratively. 

Qy  HUS.  This  root,  little  used,  expresses  the  ac- 
tion of  pressing,  of  trampling  under  foot. 

The  Arabic  ^  expresses  the  action  of  feeling,  grop- 
ing; also  that  of  roving,  going  about  without  a  purpose,  etc. 
HUH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 


*U  indicates  everything  which  bends  and  turns. 


420          THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

HUPH.     This  root,  considered  as  a  compound 


of  the  sign  of  material  sense,  united  to  that  of  interior 
activity,  has  only  the  idea  of  obscurity  and  darkness  ;  but 
its  greatest  usage  is  onomatopoetic  to  depict  movements 
which  are  easy,  agile,  light,  swift. 

The  Chaldaic  f)Q#  signifies  properly  to  blow  the  fire; 
to  light  it  and  make  it  burn  ;  the  Arabic  *J&  ,  with  this 
idea,  characterizes  the  state  of  that  which  has  passed 
through  the  fire,  which  is  pure,  spotless,  without  vice,  in- 
nocent; which  abstains  from  all  evil,  etc. 

tyf  (onom.)  That  which  rises,  expands,  opens  out 
into  the  air  ;  that  which  soars,  flies,  etc.  See  fp^  and  ffp* 

Vy      HUTZ.     Determined  matter  offered  to  the  sen- 

ses according  to  any  mode  of  existence  whatsoever. 

IfV  Hieroglyphically,  substance  in  general;  in  the 
literal  or  figurative  sense,  vegetable  substance,  and  the 
physical  faculty  of  vegetation  :  in  a  very  restricted  sense, 
wood,  a  tree:  that  which  is  consolidated  and  hardened, 
which  appears  under  a  constant  and  determined  form. 
See  py. 

The  Arabic  ^aj^  characterizes,  in  general,  the  root 
of  things,  their  radical  origin.  In  a  less  extended  sense 
it  is  that  which  serves  as  point  of  support;  that  which  is 
solid,  firm,  valid.  When  this  root  is  reinforced  by  the 

guttural  inflection  in  ^j*£>  ,  it  is  applied  to  that  which  is 
oppressive  by  nature;  which  molests,  vexes,  mystifies;  it 
is,  in  a  restricted  sense,  the  action  of  causing  indigestion; 

an  obstruction,  a  lump  in  the  throat.  By  ^Jaf-  is  understood 
the  action  of  biting,  and  by  ^i.,  that  of  making  defective. 
HUGH.  Every  idea  of  extreme  condensation, 


of  contraction  with  itself,  of  hardness;  figuratively,  an- 
guish.   See     iy. 


EADIOAL  VOCABULARY  421 

The  Arabic  £*  characterizes  the  idea  of  that  which  is 
refractory,  that  which  being  pushed,  repels;  that  which 
disobeys,  etc.  As  onomatopoetic  root  g*  expresses  the 
flight  and  cry  of  the  crow,  the  noise  made  by  waves  break- 
ing, etc. 

")y  HUR.  This  root  should  be  carefully  distin- 
guished under  two  different  relations.  Under  the  first, 
it  is  the  root  1#  image  of  physical  reality  and  symbol  of 
the  exterior  form  of  things  which  is  united  to  the  sign  of 
movement  proper  "1 ;  under  the  second,  it  is  the  sign  of 
material  sense  united  by  contraction  to  the  root  "Y)X,  image 
of  light,  and  forming  with  it  a  perfect  contrast:  thence, 
first: 

"U?  Passion,  in  general;  an  inner  ardour,  vehement, 
covetous;  an  irresistible  impulse;  a  rage,  disorder;  an 
exciting  fire  literally  as  well  as  figuratively.  Secondly : 

*Uf  Blindness,  loss  of  light  or  intelligence,  literally 
as  well  as  figuratively;  absolute  want,  destitution,  under 
all  possible  relations;  nakedness,  sterility,  physically  and 
morally.  In  a  restricted  sense,  the  naked  skin,  the  earth, 
arid  and  without  verdure :  a  desert. 

The  Arabic  ^e-  has  preserved  almost  none  of  the  intel- 
lectual ideas  developed  by  the  Hebraic  root.  One  recog- 
nizes, however,  the  primitive  sense  of  this  important  root 
even  in  the  modern  idiom,  where  f  signifies  to  dishonour, 

contaminate,  cover  with  dirt,  and  j^  ,  to  deceive  by  false 
appearances,  to  lead  into  error,  to  delude;  etc. 

Tljf  (intcns.)  The  highest  degree  of  excitement 
in  the  fire  of  passions ;  the  most  complete  privation  of  any- 
thing whatsoever. 

Tiy  Action  of  inflaming  the  fire  of  passions,  depriv- 
ing of  physical  and  moral  light.  Here  the  primitive  root 
~\y  ,  confounding  its  two  relations  by  means  of  the  con- 
vertible sign  1,  presents  a  mass  of  mixed  expressions.  It 


422          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

is  the  action  of  awaking,  exciting,  stirring;  of  renouncing. 
depriving  one's  self,  being  stripped  naked,  of  watching, 
superintending,  guarding;  of  draioing  away,  misleading: 
it  is  a  nude  body,  a  skin;  a  guard  house,  a  dark  cavern;  a 
city,  etc.  See 


HUSH.  Every  idea  of  conformation  by  ag- 
gregation of  parts,  or  in  consequence  of  an  intelligent 
movement,  of  combination  or  plan  formed  in  advance  by 
the  will:  thence, 

W]j  A  work,  a  composition;  a  creation,  a  fiction,  a 
labour  of  any  sort,  a  thing;  action  of  doing  in  general.  See 

any. 

The  Arabic  ^Jj.  has  lost  the  radical  sense,  and  instead 
of  a  formation  in  general,  is  restricted  to  designating  a 
particular  formation,  as  that  of  a  nest,  garment,  etc.  ^ 
signifies  to  commit  fraud,  falsification  ;  to  feign,  dissimul- 
ate, etc. 

ny     HUTH.     That  which  takes  all  forms,  which  has 

only  relative  existence,  which  is  inflected  by  sympathy, 
reaction,  reciprocity.  The  product  of  material  sense,  time; 
that  is  to  say  the  moment  when  one  feels,  expressed  by  the 
adverbial  relations  now,  already,  at  once,  incontinent,  etc. 

The  Arabic  £^&  signifies  literally  to  prey  upon,  to 
wear  out,  to  ruin;  which  is  a  result  of  the  lost  radical  mean- 
ing. ^f,  or  ^  signifies  that  which  preys  upon  the  mind, 
as  care,  sorrow,  alarm,  sad  news,  etc. 


£  P.PH.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to 
the  labial  sound,  and  possesses  two  distinct  articulations : 
by  the  first  P,  it  is  joined  to  the  character  D  or  P>,  of  which 
it  is  a  reinforcement;  by  the  second  PH,  it  is  joined  to  the 
character  1  become  consonant  and  pronounced  V  or  F. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  423 

As  symbolic  image  it  represents  the  mouth  of  man,  whose 
most  beautiful  attribute  it  depicts,  that  of  uttering  his 
thoughts.  As  grammatical  sign,  it  is  that  of  speech,  and 
of  that  which  is  related  thereunto.  The  Hebrew  does  not 
employ  it  as  article;  but  everything  proves  that  many  of 
the  Egyptians  used  it  in  this  way  and  thus  confounded  it 
with  its  analogue  D,  by  a  peculiar  affectation  of  the  pro- 
nunciation. Perhaps  also  a  certain  dialect  admitted  it 
at  the  head  of  words  as  emphatic  article  in  place  of  the 
relation  Hfi;  this  appears  all  the  more  probable,  since  in 
Hebrew,  a  fairly  large  quantity  of  words  exist  where  it 
remains  such,  as  I  shall  remark  in  my  notes. 
Its  arithmetical  number  is  80. 


PHA.  That  which  is  the  most  apparent  of 
a  thing,  the  part  which  first  strikes  the  sight. 

N£)  The  face  of  things  in  general  ;  in  a  more  restrict- 
ed sense,  the  mouth,  the  beak;  that  of  which  one  speaks 
with  emphasis,  that  which  is  made  noticeable. 

In  Arabic  this  root  displays  its  force  in    j*   mouth, 

and  in   *»  to  speak.    The  verb  \  \>  characterizes  literally, 
that  which  opens,  separates,  as  the  mouth. 

"1N£)  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  ornament,  glory, 
palms.  See  *l£). 

22      PHB.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

JQ  PHG.  That  which  extends  afar,  which  wan- 
ders, is  extended,  loses  its  strength,  its  heat. 

The  Arabic  £>  has  nearly  the  same  sense.  As  noun, 
it  is  every  kind  of  crudeness,  unripeness  ;  as  verb,  it  is  the 
action  of  separating,  opening,  disjoining,  etc. 

Jllfi  Action  of  being  cool,  freezing;  of  losing  move- 
ment. 


424          THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

"^2  PHD.  Every  idea  of  enlargement,  liberation, 
redemption.  The  Arabic  £>  signifies  to  raise  the  voice,  to 
show  one's  self  generous,  magnificent,  arrogant. 

The  meaning  of  the  Hebraic  root  is  found  in  the  com- 
pound b>  which  signifies  literally  to  deliver. 


PHEH.  This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the  root 
NS  ;  but  in  Hebrew  particularly,  it  emphasizes  the  thing 
that  one  wishes  to  distinguish  in  time  or  in  a  fixed  place  ; 
as  in  that  very  place,  right  here,  this,  that,  these. 

!"?£)  In  a  literal  sense,  mouth,  breath,  voice,  in  a 
figurative  sense,  speech,  eloquence,  oratorical  inspiration: 
that  which  presents  an  opening,  as  the  mouth  ;  which  con- 
stitutes part  of  a  thing,  as  a  mouthful;  which  follows  a 
mode,  a  course,  as  speech. 

The  Arabic  42  has  in  general,  the  same  sense  as  the 
Hebrew.  »' 

*)g  PHOU.  This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the  roots 
N£)  and  Hfl  :  but  its  expression  is  more  onomatopoetic  in 
describing  the  breath  which  comes  from  the  mouth. 

The  Arabic  y  is  not  far  removed  from  the  radical 
sense  of  the  Hebrew. 

mfi  (comp.)     Action  of  blowing.    See  ?"?£)• 

J1D    (comp.)     Action  of  hesitating.    Seejfi* 

p£j  (comp.)  Action  of  spreading,  dispersing,  melt- 
ing. SeefS. 

p1G  (comp.)  Action  of  being  moved  by  an  alternat- 
ing movement.  See  pfi  . 

"VIS  (comp.)  That  which  bursts  forth,  shines  out, 
appears.  See  "to* 

fc")3  (comp.)  That  which  spreads  abundantly,  which 
overflows.  See  Bffi  , 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  425 

72  PHZ.  That  which  throws  flashes,  gleams,  rays  : 
which  is  sharply  reflected  :  thence, 

Tfl  Purest  gold  ;  keenest  joy;  a  topaz. 

The  Arabic  j>  characterizes  the  movement  of  that 
which  rises  quickly,  spurts  up,  leaps,  struggles,  etc. 

D5  Action  of  emitting  sperm. 


PHEH.  Everything  which  is  drawn  in,  ex- 
panded, as  the  breath;  all  that  which  is  unfolded  in  order 
to  envelop  and  seize,  as  a  net;  thence, 

nnfi  Every  idea  of  administration,  administrator., 
state,  government. 

The  Arabic  ,,»  constitutes  an  onomatopoetic  and  idi- 
omatic root  which  describes  every  kind  of  hissing  of  the 
voice,  snoring,  strong  respiration,  rattling.  When  this 

root  is  strengthened  in  «»,  it  signifies  literally,  an  ambush; 
a  trap. 

rTlfi  Action  of  inhaling,  expiring;  respiring,  blowing; 
action  of  inspiring,  communicating  one's  will,  governing. 

NTS  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  breath,  of  lightness,  of 
unstable  thing. 

PHD     (comp.)     A  yawn,  an  hiatus,  a  hole. 


PHT.     An  opening,  a  pit;  a  dilation;  a  pro- 
rogation given  to  something. 

The  Arabic      ^    signifies  literally,  to  crumble;  Jaj 

to  rise,  leap.    From  the  latter  word  is  formed   (Joi   which 
characterizes  that  which  acts  abruptly,  with  cruelty,  etc. 

D5     Action  of  opening  the  mouth,  yawning;  figura- 
tively, the  action  of  crying,  chattering,  ranting,  etc. 

^jj     PHI.     This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the  two  roots 
KS  andil£);  but  its  expression  is  more  manifest. 


426         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

»T£)    A  beak;  the  orifice  of  anything;  the  prominent 

part,  an  angle;  a  discourse,  and  particularly,  a  message. 

The  Arabic      <>     departs  from  the  Hebraic  root  and 

instead  of  developing  the  primitive  <i  the  mouth,  from  the 
moral  stand  point;  it  develops  it  from  the  physical,  char- 
acterizing that  which  is  interior  and  opposed  to  the  surface 
of  things.  The  root  £  conceived  abstractly,  is  represent- 
ed by  the  adverbial  relations,  in,  into,  within.  As  noun, 
it  designates  the  shadowy  part  of  the  body,  the  umbra; 
as  verb,  it  signifies  to  darken,  to  shade. 

"Vfi      (comp.)     Ruin,  disaster. 
fT5     (  comp.  )     Soot. 

*?7Q      PHCH.     Every  distillation  which  comes  from 

vapour  suddenly  condensed  :  a  drop  of  water;  metaphori- 
cally, a  lens. 

The  Arabic    ^U   signifies  literally  to  be  dissolved. 


PHL.  The  emphatic  sign,  united  by  contrac- 
tion to  the  root  "7N,  symbol  of  every  elevation,  constitutes 
a  root  which  develops  all  ideas  of  distinction,  privilege, 
choice,  election,  setting  aside:  thence, 

*?£)  Some  thing  wonderful,  precious,  which  is  con- 
sidered a  mystery:  a  miracle:  a  distinguished,  privileged 
man  whom  one  reveres;  a  noble,  a  magistrate;  that  which 
is  set  aside,  hidden  in  all  fruits,  the  germ;  literally,  a  bean. 

The  Arabic  Ji  has  not  preserved  the  moral  ideas 
developed  by  the  Hebrew.  This  root,  inclining  toward  the 
physical  sense,  is  limited  to  expressing  that  which  is  sepa- 
rated, extracted,  drawn  from  another  thing:  that  which 
is  divided  into  distinct  parts.  In  the  modern  idiom  Jj 
signifies  literally  to  drive  away. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  427 

(intens.)  From  the  idea  of  noble  and  magist- 
rate, springs  that  of  dominion,  power:  thence,  the  action 
of  judging  others,  rendering  justice,  governing,  etc. 


PHM.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chaldaic 
DIG  signifies  mouth;  the  Arabic  <j  has  exactly  the  same 

sense.  As  verb  *y,  is  to  bake  bread,  to  cook;  in  general, 
that  which  is  related  to  food  for  the  mouth. 

|  g     PHN.     The  face  of  anything  whatsoever,   the 

front  of  a  thing,  that  which  is  presented  first  to  the  view  : 
that  which  strikes,  astonishes,  frightens:  every  idea  of 
presence,  conversion,  consideration,  observation,  etc. 

JO  The  aspect  of  a  person,  his  countenance,  face, 
mien,  air,  sad  or  serene,  mild  or  irritated  :  action  of  turn- 
ing the  face,  expressed  by  the  relations  before,  in  the  pres- 
ence of,  from  before,  etc.  Action  causing  the  face  to  turn, 
expressed  by  beware!  no!  lest!  for  fear  of!  etc.  That  which 
imposes  by  its  aspect  :  a  prince,  a  leader;  a  star,  a  ruby,  a 
tower,  etc.  That  which  is  the  cause  of  disturbance,  of  hesi- 
tation. See  pD» 

The  Arabic  ^  has  evidently  the  same  primitive  idea 
which  has  produced  the  Hebraic  root  ;  but  although  start- 
Ing  from  the  same  principle,  its  developments  have  been 
different;  they  have  inclined  rather  toward  the  physical 
than  toward  the  moral,  as  can  be  remarked  in  general,  of 
other  roots.  Thus,  from  the  primitive  idea  deduced  from 
the  exterior  face  which  things  present,  from  their  manner 
of  being  phenomenal,  the  Arabic  idiom  has  drawn  the 
secondary  ideas  of  complication  and  of  complicating;  of 
mixture  and  of  mixing;  of  variety  and  of  varying;  of  speci- 
fication and  of  specifying  ;  of  classification  and  of  classify- 
ing; so  that  finally,  considering  as  general,  what  had  been 

particular,  this  same  root  Jt  is  used  to  designate  an 
art,  or  a  science  of  some  sort,  because  it  is  by  means  of  arts 


428         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTOEED 

and  sciences  that  one  can  class  all  things  and  examine 
them  under  their  aspects. 


PHS.     That  which  comprises  only  a  portion 
of  the  circumference  or  totality  of  a  thing. 

D£3  A  part,  a  face,  a  phase.  Action  of  diminishing, 
of  breaking  into  pieces. 

The  Arabic  ^joj  signifies  literally  to  examine  minutely. 

^2      PHUH.     Onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the 

cry  of  an  animal  with  yawning  jaws.     Figuratively,  a 
clamour;  metaphorically,  a  diffusion. 

The  Arabic  *i^  characterizes  the  call  of  the  shepherds. 

(comp.)  Every  kind  of  act,  ivork,  action.  See1^. 
(comp.)     Every  kind  of  agitation,  movement, 
impulse:  literally,  the  feet.     See  D.T. 

f#5  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  augury,  observation^ 
phenomenon.  See  J5» 

*iyS  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  distention,  relaxa- 
tionj  action  of  depriving,  stripping,  making  naked,  etc. 
See  "Uf. 

Wg  PHTZ.  Every  idea  of  diffusion,  loosening,  set- 
ting forth,  giving  liberty.  See  pfi  . 

The  Arabic  ^9  presents  the  same  sense  in  general.  In 
a  restricted  sense  (^a)  signifies  to  examine  minutely,  and 
<J^f  to  break  the  seal. 

pg      PHCQ.     That  which  opens  and  shuts;  which 

is  stirred  by  an  alternating  movement  back  and  forth  ;  that 
which  is  intermittent,  inquisitive,  exploratory,  etc. 

The  Arabic  jji  has  in  general  the  same  ideas  as  the 
Hebrew.  As  verb,  this  root  expresses  particularly  the  ac- 
tion of  releasing,  opening,  dilating,  etc. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  429 

pD  and  ppD  (intens.)  Action  of  passing  from  one 
place  to  another,  being  carried  here  and  there,  going  and 
coming;  action  of  obstructing,  standing  in  the  way,  etc. 
Bee  pID, 

^g  PHR.  The  emphatic  sign  replacing  the  sign 
of  interior  activity  2  and  united  to  that  of  movement 
proper  "1,  constitutes  a  root  which  develops  all  ideas  of 
fructification,  production,  elementary  generation. 

"ID  Any  progeny,  any  produce  whatsoever ;  the  young 
of  any  animal,  particularly  of  the  cow.  That  which  is 
fertile,  fecund,  productive. 

The  Arabic  j ,  being  applied  principally  to  develop- 
ing in  the  Hebraic  *1D  the  idea  which  had  relation  to 
the  young  of  a  weak  timid  animal,  has  characterized  the 
action  of  fleeing ;  the  flight,  the  fear  which  makes  one  give 
way ;  also  the  growth  of  teeth,  dentition ;  the  examination 
that  is  made  of  the  teeth  of  an  animal  to  discover  its  age, 
its  strength,  its  weakness,  etc. 

Action  of  producing,  bearing. 
That  which  vegetates,  germinates,  swarms:  a 
seed,  a  flower. 

HD     Fruit;  figuratively  an  effect,  a  consequence. 

*nD  or  JHD  Onomatopoetic  root  which  describes 
the  noise  of  a  thing  which  cleaves  the  air,  or  strikes  it  with 
a  violent  movement. 

rpD  (comp.)  Every  abrupt  movement  which 
breaks,  bruises. 

D")D     (comp.)     To  rend  a  garment. 

DID  (comp.)  That  which  breaks;  that  which  di- 
vides in  breaking. 

fHD  (comp.)  Action  of  breaking  into  many  pieces; 
reducing  to  powder. 

p"13  (comp.)  That  which  tears,  draws  forcibly 
from  a  place,  breaks  the  bonds,  sets  at  liberty. 


430          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


(comp.)  Action  of  dispersing,  divulging,  ma- 
nifesting, specifying;  action  of  piercing:  metaphorically, 
a  hunter,  a  horseman. 


PHSH.  Every  idea  of  pride,  vanity,  extrava- 
gance; of  inflation,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively.  That 
which  seeks  to  extend,  to  put  itself  in  evidence.  See  B^lD. 

The  Arabic  ^  is  an  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic 
root  which  depicts  the  noise  made  by  the  air  when  escaping 
from  the  place  where  it  has  been  confined,  as  when  it  comes 
from  a  bladder  which  has  been  pressed  ;  thence,  if  one  con- 
siders the  bladder,  the  sense  of  letting  out  the  air;  if  the 
air  which  escapes  is  considered,  the  same  sense  of  doing  a 
thing  with  vivacity,  arrogance,  passion,  etc. 


PHTH.  Every  idea  of  dilation,  extending  easi- 
ly, allowing  to  be  penetrated,  opened;  every  divisibility, 
every  opening  ;  space,  extent  :  thence, 

Hi)  Space  in  general,  or  any  space  in  particular  ;  that 
which  is  indifferent  in  itself,  impassive;  metaphorically, 
a  fop,  a  fool,  a  silly  person,  a  simpleton  :  action  of  persuad- 
ing, deceiving;  etc. 

The  Arabic  cJ  preserves  the  radical  sense  of  the 
Hebrew,  without  having  the  same  developments.  As  verb, 
it  is  the  action  of  scattering,  spreading  here  and  there,  tear- 
ing into  small  pieces,  etc. 


XJ  TZ.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
hissing  sound,  and  describes  as  onomatopoeia,  all  objects 
which  have  relations  with  the  air  and  wind.  As  symbofic 
image,  it  represents  the  refuge  of  man,  and  the  end  toward 
which  he  tends.  It  is  the  final  and  terminative  sign,  hav- 
ing reference  to  scission,  limit,  solution,  end.  Placed  at 
the  beginning  of  words  it  indicates  the  movement  which 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  431 

carries  toward  the  limit  of  which  it  is  the  sign;  placed  at 
the  end,  it  marks  the  very  limit  where  it  has  tended. 
Its  arithmetical  number  is  90. 


TZA.  The  final  sign  2f  ,  as  initial  and  united 
to  that  of  power,  characterizes  in  this  root,  that  which 
leaves  material  limits,  breaks  the  shackles  of  the  body, 
matures,  grows;  is  born  exteriorly. 

The  Arabic  LA*  expresses  with  much  energy  the  effort 
made  by  the  young  of  animals  to  open  their  eyes. 

fN¥     (comp.)     Flocks  and  herds;  in  a  broader  sense, 
a  productive  faculty. 

Nltf     Onomatopoetic  root  expressing  a  movement  of 
disgust  and  repulsion  at  the  sight  of  a  filthy  object. 
Every  kind  of  filth,  obscenity,  excrement. 


2JJ  TZB.  Every  idea  of  concourse,  of  crowd  ;  that 
which  rises,  swells,  stands  in  the  way;  that  which  serves 
as  a  dike  ;  that  which  is  conducted  and  unfolded  according 
to  fixed  rules. 

The  Arabic  ^0  characterizes  in  general,  that  which 
flows  after  the  manner  of  fluids;  metaphorically,  that 
which  follows  a  determined  inclination,  which  obeys  an 

impulse.  ^^  expresses  every  kind  of  emanation  in  general  ; 
that  which  belongs  to,  that  which  results  from,  another 
thing.  In  a  very  restricted  sense  ^^  signifies  a  species 
of  lizard. 

D¥  An  army,  a  military  ordnance;  a  general  order 
observed  by  a  mass  of  individuals,  discipline:  thence, 
honour,  glory,  renown.  Metaphorically  the  host  of  stars, 
the  harmony  which  regulates  their  movements. 

JJJ  TZG.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Ethiopic 
AT)  (tzagg)  signifies  to  publish.  The  Arabic  £*  indicate 

the  noise  made  by  iron  striking  upon  iron.  £>  signifies 
a  tumult;  an  uproar. 


432          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

"^JJ  TZD.  That  which  is  insidious,  artful,  double, 
sly,  opposed,  adverse,  deceitful,  seductive. 

The  Arabic  JL*  presents  in  general,  the  same  sense 
as  the  Hebrew;  that  is  to  say,  every  idea  of  opposition, 
defense.  JL£  expresses  the  state  of  quarreling,  disputing. 

"l¥  In  a  literal  sense,  very  restricted,  the  side;  in  a 
broad  and  figurative  sense,  a  secret,  dissimulating  hin- 
drance; an  artifice,  a  snare. 

Tl¥  Action  of  setting  snares;  hunting,  fishing, 
ensnaring  birds;  deceiving. 


TZEH.     Root  analogous  to  the  root    NV  and 
develops  the  same  ideas. 

The  Arabic  c*  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which 
characterizes  the  action  of  one  who  imposes  silence;  it  is 
represented  by  the  inter  jective  relations,  hist  !  hush!  This 
root  being  reinforced  at  the  end  in  **  designates  literally 
silence. 

(comp.}     To  neigh. 

(comp.)    Luminous  ray;  the  splendour  of  mid- 
day.   See  !¥. 

*)JJ  TZOU.  This  very  important  root  characterizes 
every  kind  of  line  drawn  toward  an  end,  of  which  the  sign 
¥  is  symbol.  It  develops  every  idea  of  order,  command, 
direction,  impressed  by  the  primum  mobile. 

The  Arabic  ^  has  departed  much  from  the  radical 
sense  of  the  Hebrew,  of  which  it  has  retained  only  certain 
physical  developments.  Thus  \f*  expresses  a  sort  of 

natural  humectation  ;  and  jj>,  the  impression  which  light 
causes  upon  the  organ  of  sight.  As  onomatopoetic  root 
*&  denotes  the  sound  of  the  voice. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  433 

my  A  law,  an  ordinance;  an  order,  a  command; 
that  which  leads  to  an  end  :  a  precept,  a  statute,  a  maxim 
of  conduct  :  action  of  ordering,  directing,  leading;  impress- 
ing a  movement. 

fiiy     (comp.)     To  cry  aloud. 

^iy  (comp.)  A  thing  which  is  propagated  afar,  as 
noise;  depth,  literally  and  figuratively.  See  *?¥  « 

D1V      (comp.)     To  fast.    SeeDtf. 

£]1¥      (comp.)     To  overflow.     See  t]¥. 

p¥      (comp.)     To  blossom.    See  pf. 

pltf  (comp.)  That  which  presses;  holds  back 
forcibly.  See  pV. 

Tltf  (comp.)  That  which  compresses,  forms,  con- 
forms. See  ")¥  • 

(comp.)     To  set  on  fire,  to  kindle.    See  fi¥. 


f  JJ     TZZ.    Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

As  onomatopoetic  root  y*  characterizes  the  inarticu- 
late sounds  emitted  from  closed  jaws.  Figuratively  it  is 
to  champ  the  bit. 


TZEH.  That  which  is  dry,  arid,  exposed  to 
the  rays  of  the  sun.  That  which  is  clear,  serene,  radiant. 
The  Arabic  m.*  offers  in  general,  the  same  sense  as 
the  Hebraic  root  and  adds  much  to  the  developments  of  the 
moral  side.  In  the  Arabic  idiom,  it  is  the  state  of  that 
which  is  sane,  upright,  pure,  true,  clean,  rectified,  etc. 

The  verb  ~j>  characterizes  that  which  shines  on  account 
of  its  purity. 

niTV    State  of  being  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
being  thirsty,  dry,  etc. 

^JJ     TZT.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Arabic 
kLJ>  designates  a  strong  man,  a  formidable  adversary. 


434          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

^tj  TZI.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  N¥  and  H¥  / 
but  develops  the  same  idea  with  greater  intensity. 

L*  expresses  a  sort  of  lotion,  libation,  aqueous  emana- 
tion. ^  signifies  literally  brightness,  every  kind  of 
luminous  effusion. 

?T¥  Every  place  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun,  and 
made  dry  and  glaring. 

T¥  (comp.)  Every  opposition  which  springs  from 
artifice.  See  TV. 

^jJJ  TZCH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
«*1^  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the  noise  made 
by  two  flat  stones  rubbed  together  to  crush  anything 
whatsoever. 


TZL.  This  root,  composed  of  the  final  sign 
united  to  the  directive  sign,  characterizes  a  thing  whose 
effect  is  spread  afar.  This  thing  expresses,  according  to 
the  genius  of  the  Hebraic  tongue,  either  noise,  or  shadow 
passing  through  air  and  void;  or  void  itself,  containing 
darkness:  thence, 

*?¥  Every  noise  that  is  striking,  clear,  piercing  like 
that  of  brass;  every  shadow  carried,  projected  a  great 
distance  into  space;  every  obscure  depth,  whose  bottom  is 
unknown :  metaphorically,  a  screaming  voice;  any  kind  of 
object  extending  overhead  and  making  a  shade  as  a  canopy, 
dais,  covering,  roof,  veil;  every  deep,  obscure  place,  a 
cavern.  See  *7flV« 

The  Arabic  J^  has  evidently  the  same  radical  sense 

as  the  Hebrew  *?¥,  but  this  root,  besides  its  primitive 
sense,  having  also  an  onomatopoetic  sense,  has  received 
developments  much  more  extended.  According  to  th;e 

first  sense,  the  verb  J^>  characterizes  the  state  of  that 
which  grows  dark,  being  corrupted,  of  that  which  imitates 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  435 

the  darkness  of  shadow,  which  lengthens,  gains,  as  a 
shadow,  etc.  According  to  the  second  sense,  it  is  a  pro- 
longed sound,  a  cry  which  invokes  succour,  a  prayer,  etc. 
^0  expresses  that  which  is  prolonged  indefinitely,  wan- 
ders, disappears,  etc. 

QJJ  TZM.  That  which  is  carried  with  avidity,  with 
force,  toward  a  thing;  that  which  covets  or  seizes  eagerly. 

The  Arabic  ~*  has  the  same  radical  sense  as  the 
Hebrew.  As  verb,  it  is  the  action  of  obstructing,  opposing 
forcibly  the  egress  of  anything  whatsoever;  state  of  being 
deaf,  stupid,  etc. 

fJe  expresses  that  which  is  strongly  united ;  an  aggre- 
gation, an  agglomeration,  a  mass. 
DV     Thirst. 

DD¥  A  knot,  a  braid,  an  indissoluble  bond:  thence, 
D1¥    Action  of  fasting. 

JJJ     TZN.     That  which  conserves,  preserves,  puts  in 

safety. 

{¥  A  dwelling  where  one  gathers  for  shelter;  a 
shield,  an  urn,  a  basket;  any  sort  of  defensive  weapon,  etc. 

The  Arabic  *y+  characterizes  that  which  being  shut 
up  becomes  warm  and  smells  badly ;  figuratively,  it  is  con- 
centrated anger,  rancour.  ^  is  the  state  of  thr.t  which 
is  sordid,  tenacious,  avaricious. 

TZS.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

VJJ  TZUH.  This  root,  analogous  to  the  roots  N¥ . 
H2f»  W  develops  the  same  ideas  of  tendency  toward  a 
determined  end;  but  adds  to  it  the  particular  expression 
of  the  root  W ,  image  of  all  material  development:  thence, 


^36          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

yV  Every  kind  of  machine,  automaton;  anything 
acting  like  clock  work :  that  which  is  wandering,  irresolute, 
running  to  and  fro,  etc. 

The  Arabic  *+  presents  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebrew 
and  characterizes  in  particular,  that  which  is  supple,  flab- 
by, ungainly,  slack,  etc.  As  onomatopoetic  root  «^»  de- 
notes silence,  and  the  verb  •>  ,  the  action  of  bringing  to 
uniformity  that  which  tends  to  be  dispersed. 

riJJ     TZPH.     Every    idea    of    diffusion,    profusion, 

overflowing;  that  which  flows  like  water;  which  follows  a 
steady  incline. 

The  Arabic  ,JL*  in  departing  from  this  last  idea,  de- 
velops the  action  of  putting  in  order,  arranging,  co-ordi- 
nating, instructing,  etc.,  and  »JL*  ,  to  put  together,  to 
assemble. 

f]^  Action  of  flowing,  following  the  course  of  water, 
swimming,  floating. 

VJJ  TZTZ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
ijo.^  expresses  the  cry  of  small  birds,  by  an  imitative  noise. 

pJJ     TZCQ.     Every  noise,  every  sudden  clamour. 
.     The  Arabic  £+  expresses  clapping  the  hands.    In  the 

modern  idiom  j^»,  indicates   consent   given   by    a   hand 
clasp :  an  engagement,  a  note. 

*")JJ  TZR.  If  this  root  is  considered  as  composed 
of  the  final  sign  united  by  contraction  to  the  elementary 
root  "IN,  one  perceives  all  universal  ideas  of  form,  forma- 
tion, co-ordination,  elementary  configuration:  but  if  it  is 
considered  as  result  of  the  union  of  the  same  final  sign 
with  that  of  movement  proper,  one  perceives  only  the  idea 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  437 

of  a  tight  grasp,  an  oppression,  an  extreme  compression. 
Thence, 

Tl¥  Every  formation  by  the  sole  co-ordination  of  the 
elements,  by  their  own  aggregation,  or  by  their  artificial 
liaison  and  their  limitation  to  a  model;  every  creation, 
fiction,  picture,  image,  exemplar:  action  of  forming,  con- 
forming, modeling,  figuring,  painting,  etc 

"Wf  Every  compression  by  effect  of  an  exterior 
movement  which  pushes,  which  presses  the  elementary 
parts  upon  each  other  toward  a  common  point :  that  which 
obliges,  forces,  oppresses,  obsesses,  besieges,  presses  upon, 
acts  in  a  hostile  manner;  a  violent  adversary,  enemy,  com- 
petitor, rival:  that  which  causes  anguish,  suffering:  the 
point  of  a  sword,  the  steepness  of  a  rock,  etc. 

The   Arabic    j*  signifies   literally,    to   press,   draw 

closer,  link,  knit,  twist,  pack,  etc.,  and  j-*  the  action  of 
injuring,  wounding,  offending,  etc. 

*fott¥  (comp.)  That  which  holds  to  corporeal 
forms :  in  a  restricted  sense,  the  neck. 

"VJf  That  which  serves  as  bond:  the  vertebra?;  the 
muscular  and  bony  ligatures :  the  hinges  of  a  door  which 
fasten  it  to  the  wall :  the  ambassadors  of  a  king;  a  legation, 
etc. 

£?JJ  TZSH.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Ethi- 
opic  0©ft  (tzoush)  expresses  that  which  is  tortuous, 
bandy-legged,  counterfeit. 

pXJ  TZTH.  Every  impulse  given  toward  the  same 
end ;  every  communicated  movement ;  as  is  expressed  by  the 
Arabic  ^^>  . 

ni2f     A  conflagration;  the  action  of  setting  fire. 


438          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

P     KQ.     This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 

guttural  sound.  As  symbolic  image  it  represents  a  trench- 
ant weapon,  that  which  serves  as  instrument  for  man,  to 
defend,  to  make  an  effort  for  him.  It  has  already  been  re- 
marked, that  nearly  all  the  words  which  hold  to  this  con- 
sonant in  the  greater  part  of  the  idioms,  designate  force 
and  constraint.  It  is,  in  the  IJebraic  tongue,  the  compres- 
sive  and  decisive  sign;  that  of  agglomerative  or  repres- 
sive force.  It  is  the  character  D  entirely  materialized; 
the  progression  of  the  sign  is  as  follows  :  Jl,  vocal  principle, 
sign  of  absolute  life:  fi,  aspirate  principle,  sign  of  ele- 
mentary existence  :  %  ,  guttural  principle,  organic  sign  :  3  , 
same  principle  strengthened,  sign  of  assimilated  existence 
holding  to  forms  alone:  p,  same  principle  greatly 
strengthened,  sign  of  mechanical,  material  existence  giving 
the  means  of  forms. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  100. 


CA,  KA  or  QUA.     This  is  the  analogous  root  of 

1p  which  characterizes  the  expression  of  the  sign.  As  ono- 
matopoetic  root  it  is  a  convulsive  and  violent  effort; 
to  spue  out,  to  vomit  forth. 

The  Arabic  <j  which  takes  the  place  of  the  primi- 
tive root,  reinforces  all  its  acceptations.  As  onomatopoetic 
root  U\5  depicts  the  croaking  of  a  crow. 

Nip      Action  of  vomiting. 

N»p      Vomit. 

3p      KB.    The  onomatopoetic  root  Np,  united  by 

contraction  to  the  sign  of  interior  activity  D,  expresses 
all  rejection,  expurgation.  Literally,  it  is  an  excavation; 
figuratively,  an  anathema,  a  malediction. 

But  if  one  considers  here  the  figure  p,  as  being  con- 
tracted with  the  root  Dtf  ,  then  the  root  Dp  characterizes 
every  object  capable  of  and  containing  any  kind  of  mea- 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  439 

sure :  literally,  gcnitalia  muliebra;  figuratively,  a  bad  place. 
The  Arabic  ^  is  an  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic 
root  expressing  every  effort  that  one  makes  to  cut,  carve, 
sharpen.  It  characterizes,  in  general,  that  which  retrenches 
or  is  retrenched;  thence,  the  idea  of  a  prince,  a  magistrate; 
of  any  man  or  any  thing  which  operates  a  line  of  demar- 
cation. ,_J  designates  again,  the  principal  sound  of  the 

musical  system,  the  keynote.   See  DD . 

-•  li.ViMi-.'i   -  i   nr  lv*-tt  •••    ;-•"••'  <Mi  :-"    8.      .'t.f'.:l  /: ' -ilT 
jp    KG.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

^P  KD.  The  vertical  point,  pole,  summit,  of  any- 
thing whatsoever;  the  pivot,  motive,  point  upon  which  all 
bears,  turns. 

The  Arabic  J£  has  evidently  the  primitive  sense  of 
the  Hebraic  root  but  develops,  however,  other  acceptations. 
It  is,  in  general,  a  line  of  demarcation,  fissure,  notch;  in 
particular,  it  is  the  figure  of  anything  whatsoever,  the 
corporeal  proportion,  etc. 

"Tip  In  a  restricted  sense,  action  of  inclining  the 
head. 

p]p     KEH.     This  root    is  the  analogue   of  1p,   to 

which  one  can  refer  for  the  real  meaning  of  the  sign.  As 
onomatopoetic  root  it  expresses  the  sudden  cry  which  is 
given  to  frighten,  to  astound,  put  to  flight.  See  Np . 

The  Arabic  *»  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts 
a  sudden  and  immoderate  burst  of  laughter. 

flflp  State  of  being  frightened,  by  an  unforeseen 
noise,  stunned,  stupefied. 

*?Hp      ( comp. )     A  call  to  gather  the  cattle. 

1p     COU,  KOU  or  QUOU.    This  root,  as  well  as  its 

analogues  Np  01-  HD,  when  they  are  not  ononoatopoetic, 
designate  in  general,  that  which  is  indefinite,  vague,  inde- 


440          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

terminate,  unformed :  it  is  matter  suitable  to  be  put  in 
action,  the  mechanical  movement  which  acts  upon  it;  the 
obtuse,  vague,  blind  but  irresistible  force  which  leads  it; 
necessity. 

^p  The  mathematical  line  and  that  which  represents 
it :  a  level,  a  rule,  a  clew;  that  which  holds  irresistibly  to 
a  point;  metaphorically  desire,  hope;  figuratively,  sound, 
echo. 

The  Arabic  j»  is  no  longer  used  in  its  radical  form, 
but  one  finds  a^  great  number  of  its  derivatives,  all  of  which 
hold  more  or  less  closely  to  the  Hebraic  root;  such  as  *\5 
obedience,  and  in  general,  every  proper,  analogous  thing; 
^£  force,  valour,  virtue;  *y  faculty,  power,  etc.  This 

onomatopoetic  root  *y,  depicts  as  in  Hebrew  a  resound- 
ing, prolonged  sound,  like  that  of  the  hunter's  horn. 

mp  Action  of  stretching,  being  carried  toward  an 
object,  desiring,  becoming,  mingling  with,  being  formed 
of  it.  That  which  is  obtuse;  that  which  acts  without  intel- 
ligence; that  which,  like  an  echo,  repeats  the  voice  or 
sound,  without  seizing  or  keeping  it. 

(Tip  (comp.}  Action  of  reaching  out,  making  effort 
to  seize  something.  See  Up . 

Dip     (comp.}     Action  of  being  disgusted.    See  Dp. 

Vlp      (comp.}     Voice,  sound.    See  ^p* 

Dip     (comp.)     Substance  in  general.    See  Dp» 

pip       (comp.)     Lamentation.    See  fp, 

^p     (comp.)     An  ape.     See  ^|p» 

Pp  (comp.)  Action  of  cutting,  cutting  off;  prick- 
ing. See  J>p. 

"Yip  (comp.}  Action  of  digging  a  well,  a  snare ;  ac- 
tion of  surrounding,  catching,  destroying,  etc.  See  *)p» 

tPlp  (comp.)  A  snare;  action  of  entangling,  setting 
a  trap.  See  55>p  • 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  441 

f  P  KZ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic  j 
indicates  every  kind  of  leap,  assault ;  impetuous  movement 
to  overpower  a  thing.  In  the  modern  idiom,  the  verb  £ 
signifies  to  weave. 

!"|p  KEH.  The  idea  of  an  effort  that  is  made  to- 
ward a  thing  to  seize  it  to  comprehend  it.  See  fTlp  . 

The  Arabic  -»  characterizes  that  which  is  pure,  frank, 
sincere. 

J^p     KT.     This  root  develops  the  idea  of  resistance 

opposed  to  that  of  tension,  of  extension :  thence  in  a  very 
broad  sense,  the  Occident;  in  a  very  restricted  sense,  a 
stick.  See  Dip 

The  Arabic  k5  is  an  onomatopoetic  and  idiomatic  root 
which  depicts  every  kind  of  cut  made  without  effort,  as 
with  a  knife,  etc.  This  root  employed  as  adverbial  rela- 
tion is  represented  by  only,  only  so  much,  so  little. 

^p  KI  or  QUI.  This  root  is  the  analogue  of  the 
roots  fip  and  1p,  whose  power  it  manifests. 

The  Arabic  £  signifies  according  to  the  radical  sense, 
an  arid,  desert  land ;  according  to  the  onomatopoetic  sense, 
to  vomit.  • 

Pp     (comp.)     A  lance. 

"Vp  (comp.)  Wall  of  circumvallation,  enclosure, 
fortified  precinct.  See  *lp  • 

*n  p    KCH.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

^p  KL.  The  root  1p,  image  of  that  which  is  un- 
defined, vague,  unformed,  united  by  contraction  to  the 
directive  sign  *?,  produces  a  root  which  designates  that 


U2         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

which  is  deprived  of  consistency  and  form;  sound,  voice, 
wind  :  but,  if  this  same  root  is  conceived  as  formed  by  the 
union  of  the  compressive  sign  p  ,  with  the  root  ?N  image 
of  all  elevation  and  all  superior  force,  it  expresses  then 
the  action  of  roasting,  parching,  etc. 

*7p  Every  idea  of  lightness,  rapidity,  velocity:  that 
which  is  attenuated,  slender,  thin  :  without  consistency  ;  of 
little  value  ;  vile,  coivardly,  infamous. 

The  Arabic  J5  presents  the  same  radical  sense  as  the 
Hebrew;  but,  as  verb,  it  is  in  particular,  that  which  be- 
comes less;  which  is  reduced,  lightened;  which  loses 
ground;  becomes  rarefied,  etc. 

*7lp  Voice,  sound.  The  Arabic  Jl5  signifies  lit- 
erally, to  say,  speak,  state,  express. 


KM.     The  root  1p,  being  universalized  by  the 

addition  of  the  collective  sign  0  ,  characterizes  substance 
in  general,  undefined  nature  ;  a  thing  whose  only  properties 
are  extent  and  necessity:  thence, 

Dip  Action  of  existing  in  substance,  being  substan- 
tialized; assuming  stability;  state  of  being  extended,  es- 
tablished; constituted;  strengthened;  qualified  to  assume 
all  forms;  action  of  being  spread  out;  rising  into  space. 
Action  of  existing,  subsisting,  consisting,  persisting,  resist- 
ing: that  which  is  necessary,  real;  rigid,  irresistible: 
that  which  is  opposed,  is  raised  against  another  -thing, 
shows  itself  refractory,  inflexible,  etc. 

The  Arabic  -$  has  preserved  none  of  the  intellectual 
ideas  developed  by  the  Hebraic  root.  As  verb,  ^J  ex- 
presses the  action  of  taking  away  the  superficies  of  things, 
making  them  dry,  clean,  etc.  In  particular,  it  is  the  action 
of  sweeping.  The  radical  sense  of  the  Hebrew  is  developed 
by  the  Arabic  *\J  . 

D'p  Every  idea  of  manifest  opposition,  insurrection  : 
that  which  is  adverse,  rebellious;  matter  in  travail. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  443 

|p  KN.  This  root  has  two  sources  whose  expres- 
sions are  blended,  as  it  were,  in  one.  By  the  first,  it  is  de- 
rived from  the  root  Ip,  image  of  the  blind  force  which 
moves  matter,  united  to  the  augmentative  sign  J  ;  by  the 
second,  it  springs  from  the  compressive  sign  p  ,  contracted 
with  the  root  |N,  symbol  of  all  corporeal  circumscription ; 
thence, 

fp  That  which  tends  with  ardour  toward  a  thing; 
that  which  is  envious,  usurping,  vehement,  covetous  of 
gain  and  possession;  thence, 

[p     That  which  is  centralized,,  concentrated  in  itself. 

From  these  two  roots  pp  is  formed,  in  which  are  as- 
sembled the  opposed  ideas,  of  appetent  tension  and  com- 
pression, vehemence  and  closeness,  power  and  density.  It 
contains  the  central  force,  profound  basis,  rule  and  meas- 
ure of  things;  also  the  faculty  which  seizes,  usurps,  ag- 
glomerates, appropriates  and  assimilates  icith  itself. 

The  Arabic  ^  although  holding  to  the  same  root  as 
the  Hebrew  p  ,  is  however,  far  from  preserving  or  devel- 
oping so  great  a  number  of  ideas.  Nearly  all  of  those  which 

were  intellectual  have  become  lost.  The  verb  Jj  ,  which 
partakes  most  of  the  radical  sense,  signifies  literally  to 
forge  the  iron,  to  strike  it  while  it  is  hot ;  t o  solder  metals, 

to  unite  them  by  means  of  the  forge.  jj>  is  a  blacksmith. 
Ip  or  pp  (intens.)  In  a  literal  and  restricted  sense 
a  nest,  a  centre;  a  cane,  a  measure,  a  reed;  an  abode,  a  pos- 
session, an  acquisition,  conquest;  a  possessor,  envious  per- 
son, rival;  envy,  hatred,  jealousy;  an  affair,  property, 
wealth,  etc. 

Qp  KS.  Every  idea  of  hazard,  fatality,  chance, 
etc.  The  Arabic  ^5  expresses  the  kind  of  jealousy  that 
one  feels  when  the  thing  that  one  desires  is  possessed  by 
another. 


444          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

yp     KH.     Every  idea  of  line  strongly  traced,  of 

stigma;  of  violent  disordered  movement  which  wounds,  dis- 
places, deranges,  etc. 

The  Arabic  5  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts 
the  sound  of  the  voice  made  by  one  who  drives  away  a 
troublesome  animal.  Figuratively,  all  that  which  repels; 
a  strong  bitterness;  briny,  brackish  water. 

r\p  KPH.  Every  idea  of  condensation,  concretion  ; 
that  which  is  coagulated,  congealed,  thickened,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^_i»  presents  the  same  radical  sense.  It 
is  literally,  the  image  of  a  humid  thing  when  shrunken  by 
drought. 

Vp     -KTS.     The  compressive  sign  united  to  the  final 

sign,  constitutes  a  root  whence  develop  naturally,  all  ideas 
of  term,  limit,  extremity,  goal,  summit,  finish,  cessation. 
Yp  and  pfp.  (intens.)  That  which  cuts,  limits, 
terminates,  finishes  a  thing;  that  which  is  extreme,  final, 
without  anything  beyond:  action  of  cutting,  cutting  off, 
amputating,  etc.  See  pp. 

The  Arabic  ^  signifies  literally  to  shear,  to  cut  with 
scissors;  figuratively  to  follow  the  tracks  of  someone,  to 
continue  a  movement  ;  to  narrate  a  thing,  etc. 


KK.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  It  is,  in  the 
Chaldaic  pip  ,  the  name  given  to  the  pelican  ;  in  the  Arabic 
j'5  it  is  onomatopoetic  and  describes  the  clucking  of 
chickens. 


KR.     The  compressive  sign  united  to  that  of 

movement  proper,  constitutes  a  root  which  develops  the 
idea  of  that  which  is  incisive,  penetrating,  firm,  straight; 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  445 

that  which  engraves  or  which  serves  to  engrave ;  every  kind 
of  engraving,  character,  or  sign  fitting  to  preserve  the 
memory  of  things. 

The  Arabic  J  presents  the  same  radical  sense  as  the 
Hebrew,  but  with  a  certain  difference  in  its  developments. 
As  verb,  y  signifies  to  -fix  in  some  place,  on  some  thing; 
to  stop  there,  to  remember  it,  to  make  an  act  of  commemo- 
ration ;  to  designate,  to  avow. 

*1p  From  the  idea  of  character  and  writing  con- 
tained in  this  root,  has  come  that  of  reading,  and  from 
reading,  that  of  every  oratorical  discourse  spoken  aloud; 
thence  the  divers  expressions  of  crying  out,  exclaiming, 
speaking,  proclaiming,  reading,  naming,  designating  a 
thing  by  name,  by  expedient  sign;  to  convoke,  evoke,  etc. 

In  making  abstraction  of  the  sign  or  character,  and 
seeing  only  the  cause  which  marks  it,  or  the  effect  which 
follows  it,  one  finds  the  idea  of  course,  contingency,  con- 
catenation; thence,  that  of  the  course  of  events,  fate  of 
occurrence;  action  of  happening,  occurring,  hastening,  ar- 
riving, etc. 

*Vlp  /  "Yip  or  *Vp .  The  idea  of  incision  has  brought 
forth  that  of  cutting  in;  thence,  the  idea  of  well,  fountain, 
ditch,  trap,  snare,  abyss;  that  which  is  incisive,  penetrat- 
ing, firm,  causes  a  sensation  which  recalls  that  of  cold: 
thence  with  the  idea  of  coldness,  that  which  can  shield,  as 
a  walled  enclosure,  grotto,  tower;  by  extension,  a  city. 

£Jp  KSH.  Every  idea  of  perplexity,  confusion,  dif- 
ficulty; that  which  is  mixed,  hardened,  tightened,  com- 
pact inextricable. 

t^p  and  tPtPp .  (intens.)  State  of  being  perplexed, 
confused,  heavy,  hardened;  action  of  clearing  up,  seeking 
to  know,  scrutinizing,  exploring,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^15  offers  in  general,  the  same  ideas ;  it 
is,  in  a  restricted  sense,  to  clean,  rub,  sweep,  etc. 


446         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  word  t^p  ,  a  bow,  is  derived  from  the  Arabic  ^ti 
which  signifies  a  curvature;  but  the  Arabic  word  itself  is 
attached  to  the  Hebraic  root. 

J")p     KTH.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.    The  Arabic 

^  or     £j      develops  in  general,  every  idea  of  attraction, 
extraction,  agglomeration. 


^  R.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
lingual  sound.  As  symbolic  image,  it  represents  the  head 
of  man,  his  determining  movement,  his  progress.  Accord- 
ing to  Boehme  the  letter  R  draws  its  origin  from  the  ig- 
neous faculty  of  nature.  It  is  the  emblem  of  fire.  This 
man,  who,  without  any  learning,  has  often  written  in  a 
manner  astonishing  to  the  wisest,  assures  in  his  book  of 
the  Triple  Life  of  Man,  that  each  inflection,  vocal  or  con- 
sonantal, is  a  particular  form  of  central  nature.  "Al- 
though speech  varies  them  by  transposition,  nevertheless 
each  letter  has  an  origin  at  the  centre  of  nature.  This 
origin  is  wonderful  and  the  senses  can  grasp  it  only  by  the 
light  of  the  intelligence." 

As  grammatical  sign,  the  character  1  is,  in  the  Heb- 
raic tongue,  the  sign  of  all  movement  proper,  good  or  bad. 
It  is  an  original  and  frequentative  sign,  image  of  the  re- 
newal of  things,  as  to  their  movement. 

Its  arithmetical  number  is  200. 


RA.  The  sign  of  movement  proper  united  to 
that  of  power,  forms  a  root  characterized  hieroglyphically 
by  the  geometric  radius;  that  is  to  say,  by  that  kind  of 
straight  line  which  departing  from  the  centre  converges 
at  any  point  whatsoever  of  the  circumference:  it  is,  in  a 
very  restricted  sense,  a  streak,  in  a  broader  sense,  a  ray 
and  metaphorically,  the  visual  ray,  visibility. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  447 

The  Arabic  fc$  presents  exactly  the  same  radical  sense 
as  the  Hebrew.  The  developments  of  this  root,  which  are 
very  numerous  in  the  Arabic  idiom,  all  have  reference,  in 

general,  in  ^\Jf  ^Jf  ^,j  etc.,  to  the  action  of  seeing,  or 
to  the  state  of  being  seen. 

HN1  Action  of  seeing,  fixing  the  eyes  upon  an  ob- 
ject, beholding,  considering;  sight,  vision,  aspect  of  a  thing. 

'JO  A  mirror:  figuratively,  an  observation,  exami- 
nation. 

fiNi")  (comp.)  Prophetic  vision;  spectacle;  admir- 
able thing. 

(comp.)     The  head.    SeetJH. 


RB.  The  sign  of  movement  proper,  united  to 
that  of  interior  activity,  or  by  contraction  with  the  root 
DN  ,  image  of  all  fructification,  constitutes  a  root  whence 
are  developed  all  ideas  of  multiplication,  augmentation, 
growth,  grandeur:  it  is  a  kind  of  movement  toward  pro- 
pagation, physically  as  well  as  morally. 

The  Arabic    VJ  does  not  differ  from  the  Hebrew.    It 

is,  in  general,  that  which  dominates,  augments,  grows, 
usurps,  possesses,  gathers  together,  governs,  etc. 

2*1  and  331*  (intens.)  That  which  is  large,  broad, 
increased,  whether  in  number  or  in  volume;  augmented, 
multiplied;  that  which  is  expressed  by  the  adverbial  rela- 
tions, much,  more,  still  more,  many;  ideas  of  multitude, 
number,  quantity;  strength  or  power  which  is  drawn  from 
number,  etc. 

DH  (comp.)  Action  of  being  carried  in  a  mass,  of 
making  an  uproart  raising  a  quarrel,  a  dispute. 

y^  RG.  Every  kind  of  movement  in  the  organs: 
emotion,  commotion,  disorganization. 

The  Arabic  r-j  offers  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebrew. 
It  is  the  action  of  agitating,  stirring;  talking  with  famili- 
arity. 


448         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


RD.  The  sign  of  movement  proper  united  to 
the  sign  of  elementary  abundance,  or  by  contraction  with 
the  root  "IN,  image  of  every  emanation,  produces  a  root 
whose  object  is  to  describe  every  kind  of  indefinite  move- 
ment, as  that  of  a  wheel. 

The  Arabic  jj  holds  to  the  Hebrew  in  its  radical 
sense,  although  the  accessory  ideas  which  emanate  differ 
somewhat.  It  is,  in  general,  a  repeated  movement  which 
turns  to  itself.  In  particular,  it  is  the  action  of  returning, 
replying,  restoring,  etc. 

"PI  or  TV)»  (intens.)  That  which  spreads  out,  un- 
folds, occupies  space,  takes  possession  of  a  thing,  by  effect 
of  a  movement  which  is  propagated  circularly  :  a  wheel,  a 
sphere,  a  veil. 

TH  Action  of  moving  with  firmness,  either  for 
ascending,  or  descending;  action  of  persevering  in  one's 
will  :  the  domination  which  is  the  natural  bent  of  steadfast- 
ness and  strength  of  soul. 


REH.     Root  analogous  to  the  root   N"1   whose 
effect  it  increases. 

nm  Action  of  dazzling,  fascinating  the  eyes;  of 
troubling. 

The  Arabic  *j  departs  from  the  radical  sense  of  the 
Hebrew,  and  develops  only  the  accessory  idea  of  weakness 
which  follows  physical  or  moral  dizziness. 

3rn  (comp.)  Every  idea  of  magnitude,  grandeur, 
force.  See  D"). 

Dm     (comp.)     A  course.    See  D*K 

1*1  ROU.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  N"),  but 
which,  taking  a  more  material  expression,  instead  of 
characterizing  a  luminous  ray,  characterizes  often  a  stream 
of  water,  the  channel  of  a  river,  a  brook  :  thence, 

fin  Action  of  watering,  drinking,  drenching,  etc. 
See  H, 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  449 

The  Arabic  \jj  characterizes  literally  the  action  of 
considering  the  consequences,  reflecting  before  doing  a 
thing.  The  compound  <jj  expresses  a  long,  mature 
deliberation. 

yn    (comp.)     Tumult.     See  3"V. 

TO    (comp.)     Strength  of  the  soul.    See  T). 

tTH    (comp.)     Movement  of  the  air,  the  breath. 
SeeT). 

DD  (comp.)  Action  of  rising  in  being  dilated,  of 
filling  space.  See  D"1, 

)Tn  (comp.)  Material  movement,  evil  and  disor- 
dered. See  jn» 

f]*n  (comp.)  Action  of  being  shaken  by  a  sudden 
movement.  See  fp« 

JTI  (comp.)  Action  of  moving  in  skimming  the 
ground,  of  running.  See  fH  • 

tPYl  (comp.)  Action  of  impoverishing,  making 
poor,  being  needy,  of  returning  to  the  principle  of  nature. 
See  BH. 

^  RZ.  Every  idea  of  exhaustion,  material  anni- 
hilation, extreme  thinness:  that  which  becomes  indiscern- 
ible. 

n       In  a  figurative  sense,  the  secret  of  the  initiates. 

The  Arabic  }j  designates,  in  general,  that  which  is 
secret,  mysterious,  concealed.  It  is  an  inner  movement, 
a  dull  murmur. 


RH.  In  the  same  manner  as  the  roots  &O  and 
m  ,  considered  as  rays  of  the  elementary  circle,  are  related 
to  light  and  fire;  in  the  same  manner,  as  the  root  VI  is 
related  to  water,  thus  we  see  their  analogue  m  being 
related  to  air  and  depicting  all  its  effects:  we  shall  see 
further  on  H  and  JT)  ,  related  equally,  the  one  to  ether  and 
the  other  to  terrestrial  matter. 


450          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  £j  holds  to  the  same  radical  sense  as 
the  Hebrew,  as  can  be  seen  in  a  great  number  of  its  deriva- 
tives :  such  as  ^j  f  *o\j  ,  which  mean  the  same  as  the 

Hebraic  analogues;  but  9-j  is  still  in  the  Arabic  idiom, 
an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the  effort  of  wind 
upon  a  thing,  and  which  characterizes,  metaphorically,  that 
which  weakens,  diminishes.  ^,  designates,  to  flow  in 
torrents,  to  fall  in  a  mass,  in  speaking  of  water. 

PHI  Every  idea  of  expansion  and  serial  dilation: 
wind,  breath,  soul,  spirit:  that  wrhich  moves,  stirs,  anim- 
ates, inspires,  transports. 

Pin    Every  kind  of  odour.    See  VI. 

DID  (comp.)  Every  kind  of  distention,  inflation. 
See  TU 

Dm  (comp.  )  That  which  is  soft,  faint,  calm  as  air  ; 
a  long,  drawn  breath.  Figuratively,  tenderness,  compas- 
sion, mercy. 

fjm     (comp.)     That  which  is  moved,  stirred  by  an 
expansive,  vital  movement;  to  brood  over,  to  cherish. 
(comp.)     Every  kind  of  ablution. 
(comp.)     That  which  recedes,  goes  far  away. 
vanishes  in  air. 

tJ^m  (comp.)  That  which  allows  the  air  which  it 
contains  to  escape  by  boiling,  by  fermentation. 


RT.  This  root,  in  which  the  sign  of  movement 
proper  is  limited  by  that  of  resistance,  characterizes  a 
directed  course;  accompanied  or  turned  by  a  dike,  an 
embankment,  etc.  It  is  literally  a  conduit,  canal, 
promenade. 

The  Arabic  l»j  has  not  preserved  the  radical  sense  of 
the  Hebrew;  but  in  being  attached  to  one  of  its  develop- 
ments, that  of  a  promenade,  this  root  has  designated  a 
confused  crowd,  a  tumultuous  movement.  The  Chaldaic 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  451 

C3D")  has  followed  the  same  idea  as  the  Arabic   kj ,  and  has 

rendered  it  even  stronger  in  expressing  a  sort  of  shudder- 
ing, of  terror. 

^  RI,  Root  analogous  to  the  roots  JO,  IT)/  1*1, 
ITI  ;  but  more  particularly  applied  to  ethereal,  fragrant 
radiations. 

n  Effluvium;  a  fluidic,  ethereal,  spirituous  emana- 
tion; a  fragrant  exhalation.  In  a  restricted  sense,  a  stream. 

The  Arabic   ^  signifies  literally  the  lung. 

3H  (com p.)  A  sympathetic,  electrifying  commo- 
tion given  to  a  crowd :  literally,  a  tumult,  an  insurrection. 

IT")  (comp. )  An  aroma,  a  fragrant  spirit,  perfume : 
figuratively,  fame. 

JfH     ( comp. )     The  sound  of  metals  striking  together. 

pH      (comp.)     Ethereal  space,  the  void.    See  p"1» 

t^H  (comp.)  Original  manifestation:  in  whatever 
manner  conceived.  In  a  mean  and  restricted  sense,  poverty. 

7]^     RCH.     Every    idea    of    relaxation,    indolence, 

rMssolution,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 

Tn  That  which  is  thin,  rare,  soft,  delicate,  slender, 
frail,  weak,  infirm. 

The  Arabic  »«ij  has  in  general,  the  same  ideas  as  the 
Hebrew.  By  its  analogue  jj  is  understood  to  make  thin. 

RL.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 

RM-  The  siSn  of  movement  proper  considered 
in  its  abstract  mode,  or  in  its  different  radical  modifica- 
tions, fcO,  m,  T\,  ("P,  H  being  here  universalized 
by  the  collective  sign  D  ,  designates  that  sort  of  movement 
or  action,  by  means  of  which  any  thing  whatsoever,  rising 
from  the  centre  to  one  of  the  points  of  the  circumference, 
traverses  or  fills  an  extent  or  place,  which  it  has  not 
occupied  previously. 


452         THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ^  has  lost  nearly  all  of  the  intellectual 
ideas  developed  by  the  Hebrew.  This  root  reduced  to  the 
purely  physical  and  material  sense  expresses  in  general, 
the  action  of  establishing,  restoring,  repairing,  etc. 

0*1  or  DD1  (intens.)  That  which  is  borne  upward, 
which  rises,  dilates,  mounts,  projects,  shoots  up,  increases 
rapidly,  follows  a  movement  of  progression  and  ascension. 

01*1  Action  of  rising  by  expanding,  of  filling  space; 
action  of  being  lifted  up,  in  speaking  of  anything  whatever; 
state  of  being  in  effervescence;  the  superior  part  of  a  thing  ; 
height,  sublimity. 

V~\     RN.     Every    kind    of    noise,    of    sound    which 

follows  a  commotion  of  the  air.    A  chant,  shout,  clamour  ; 
the  murmur  of  wind,  water,  fire;  the  clinking  of  metals,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^j  has  exactly  the  same  sense.  It  is 
literally  to  resound,  to  make  some  sort  of  sound,  to  groan, 
etc. 


RS.  Every  idea  of  break,  fracture;  reducing 
into  impalpable  parts,  in  drops,  like  the  dew;  that  which 
is  submissive,  reduced,  subdued. 

This  primitive  root  is  recognized  in  the  four  Arabic 
roots,  <j-  j  ,  t/o  ,  c^j  and  u"J  where  its  divers 
acceptations  are  divided.  By  ^  is  understood  in  general, 
to  excavate  the  earth,  to  dig;  by  j*j  ,  to  water,  to  sprinkle  : 

by  ^j  to  stratify,  to  arrange  in  layers;  and  by  J*j  to 
crack,  to  break. 

y^     RH.     We  have  seen  the  movement  principle, 

acting  from  the  centre  to  the  circumference,  modified  in 
turn,  by  light,  fire,  water,  air,  ethereal  fluid,  according  to 
the  roots  tO  ,  m  ,  n  ,  ITI  ,  H  :  now,  here  is  this  same 
movement  departing  from  the  root  1")  and  degenerating 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  453 

more  and  more  toward  the  material  sense,  to  become  in 
the  root  in ,  the  emblem  of  that  which  is  terrestrial, 
obscure  and  evil.  This  is  worthy  of  the  closest  attention, 
in  and  yin  (intens.)  That  which  is  bent,  bowed 
down;  that  which  is  brought  together  to  be  made  compact; 
that  which  becomes  fragile,  brittle;  that  which  breaks 
and  is  reduced  to  powder :  physical  and  moral  evil;  misery, 
malignancy,  misfortune,  vice,  perversity,  disorder. 

The  Arabic  «.j  has  preserved  none  of  the  intellectual 
ideas  developed  by  the  Hebrew.  The  only  physical  idea 
that  this  root  appears  to  express  in  the  Arabic  idiom,  is 

that  of  inertia.    The  derivative  roots  ^j     jcj  ,  etc.,  have 
reference,  as  in  Hebrew,  to  the  care  of  "llocks  and  pastures. 

I^T  State  of  being  perverted,  evil,  mischievous; 
action  of  following  a  material,  false,  disordered  movement. 

•Tin  That  which  concerns  earthly  cares;  the  pains, 
anxieties,  sorrows  and  afflictions  which  they  involve: 
human  society  in  general,  and  that  of  sheptierds  in  parti- 
cular: a  shepherd,  a  leader  of  flocks;  a  king.  The  one 
who  shares  the  same  cares,  a  neighbour,  relative,  comrade. 

lin     Every  disorder,  rupture,  infraction. 

'in  Pasture,  property,  possession:  that  which 
concerns  the  state  of  shepherd,  leader,  king :  pastoral. 

Din     (comp.)     Hunger;  state  of  being  famished. 

TIT)     (comp.)     Fear;  state  of  being  frightened. 

*?in  (comp.)  Horror,  venom;  state  of  being  filled 
with  horror,  infected  with  venom. 

Din  (comp.)  A  disordered,  universalized  move- 
ment :  thunder,  lightning. 

Action  of  breaking,  smashing,  acting  with  fury, 
(comp.)     Action    of    shuddering,    trembling, 
shivering. 

D")  RPH.-  Every  kind  of  mediation,  reparation, 
recovery,  redemption.  It  is  the  idea  of  a  regenerating 
movement 


454        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

The  Arabic  ,J^  holds  to  the  same  radical  sense,  but 
its  developments  are  perceptibly  altered.  As  verb,  it  is 
the  action  of  being  refreshed,  of  eating  abundantly.  ,Jij  is 
also  an  onomatopoetic  root,  which  depicts  the  noise  of  a 
bird  which  beats  its  wings. 

£p       Medicine,  remedy ;  health,  the  action  of  healing. 

fp"l  The  sign  of  movement  proper,  united  by  con- 
traction to  the  root  f]1# ,  forms  an  onomatopoeia  which  is 
applied  to  every  rapid  movement  which  dislocates,  dis- 
unites, relaxes  beyond  measure :  etc.  See  *TJP« 


P 


RTZ.  This  root  characterizes  a  sort  of  move- 
ment of  vibration,  recommencing  and  finishing;  reptilian, 
which  propagates  in  being  divided :  it  is  a  dragging,  pain- 
ful movement. 

p  and  jY"l  (intens.)  That  which  is  shaken  into 
fragments,  that  which  is  broken,  divided;  a  rupture,  a 
piece. 

The  Arabic  ^  signifies  literally  to  stratify,  to  arrange 

in  layers  or  in  strata;  by  Jt>j  is  understood  to  crush,  to 
break  in  great  pieces. 

p"l  From  the  idea  of  a  divided  piece,  springs  that 
of  alliance,  of  friendship;  from  that  of  intermittent  move- 
ment, springs  the  idea  of  concurrence:  thence  the  action 
of  being  allied,  of  concurring. 


RK.  Every  idea  of  tenuity,  rarity,  expansion, 
giving  way. 

The  Arabic  jj  has  the  same  sense  as  the  Hebrew. 

p")  That  which  is  attenuated,  rarified;  which  gives 
way,  physically  as  well  as  morally:  in  a  figurative  sense, 
time.  See  pH. 

^^      RR.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew  nor  in  Arabic. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  455 

RSH.  The  sign  of  movement  proper,  united 
to  that  of  relative  movement,  constitutes  a  root  which  is 
hieroglyphically  symbolized  by  a  point  at  the  middle  of 
a  circle  :  it  is  the  centre  unfolding  the  circumference  :  the 
fundamental  principle. 

W  JO  Every  acting  principle,  good  or  bad  ;  a  venomous 
poison,  a  very  bitter,  gall;  that  which  is  primary,  initial  ; 
the  origin,  summit,  top;  the  culminating  point  of  all 
things;  the  head  of  man  or  of  anything  whatsoever;  the 
leader  of  a  people,  a  captain,  a  prince,  a  king.  See  t^n 
and  t?n. 

The  Arabic  ^j  holds  evidently  to  the  radical  sense 
of  the  Hebrew  BH,  and  the  compound  ^Ij  has  the  same 

acceptation  as  tW).     In  the  modern  idiom,  ^j    signifies 
to  sprinkle. 


RTH.     Every  movement  arrested,  chained,  re- 
tained. 

The  Arabic  £*j  ,  offers  the  same  meaning.  It  is 
literally,  the  action  of  retarding. 

fn  That  which  chains,  coagulates,  arrests;  that 
which  freezes  the  blood  :  a  sudden  terror,  a  dread. 


|P  SET.  This  character  as  consonant  belongs  to  the 
sibilant  sound,  and  depicts  in  an  onomatopoetic  manner, 
light  movements,  sounds  durable  and  soft.  As  symbolic 
image  it  represents  the  part  of  the  bow  from  which  the 
arrow  is  shot.  In  Hebrew,  it  is  the  sign  of  relative  dura- 
tion and  of  the  movement  attached  thereunto.  It  is  derived 
from  the  vocal  sound  * »  become  consonant  by  joining  to 
its  expression  the  respective  significations  of  the  conson- 
ants t  and  D.  As  prepositive  relation,  it  constitutes  a 
sort  of  pronominal  article  and  is  placed  at  the  head  of 


456        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


nouns  and  verbs,  to  communicate  to  them  the  double  power 
that  it  possesses  of  movement  and  of  conjunction. 
Its  arithmetical  number  is  300. 

£ty  SHA.  The  sign  of  relative  movement  united 
to  that  of  power,  constitutes  a  root  which  is  hieroglyphical- 
ly  characterized  by  the  arc  of  the  circle  inscribed  between 
two  radii.  The  character  D  is  designated  by  the  arc 
deprived  of  its  radius  or  arrow,  and  closed  by  its  cord. 
The  character  f  is  designated  by  the  radius  or  arrow 
indicating  the  circumference.  The  portion  of  the  circle 
represented  by  the  root  NP,  can  be  considered  in  movement 
or  in  repose;  thence,  the  opposed  ideas  of  tumult  and  of 
the  calm  which  it  develops. 

The  Arabic     ti    signifies  literally  to  desire.    As  ono- 

matopoetic  root   li     denotes  the  sound  of  calling   the 
flocks  to  the  watering  place. 

nX&  A  whirlpool,  a  delirium;  action  of  making 
irruption,  tumult,  fracas:  profound  tranquility;  state  of 
being  empty,  deserted,  void;  a  gulf,  etc. 

$!\W  That  which  is  vain,  empty;  ruined,  devasted; 
that  which  is  tumultuous,  tempestuous,  whirling;  vanity, 
insolence. 

(comp.)     Action  of  drawing  water.    See!)N* 
(comp.)     Action  of  interrogating,  asking. 


See 


order. 


(comp.)     Action  of  troubling,  putting  in  dis- 


literally. 


(comp.) 

(comp.) 

See    f|K 

(comp.} 


State  of  being  calm. 

To  aspire,   figuratively   as  well   as 


That  which  tends  toward  consist- 
ency, solidity;  that  which  remains;  residue;  remnant:  in 
a  restricted  sense,  the  flesh.  See  *"ltf  • 


SHE.     This  root  has  two  expressions  accord- 
ing to  its  composition;  if  it  is  considered  as  composed  of 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  457 

the  sign  of  relative  movement  and  of  duration,  joined  to 
that  of  interior  activity,  it  contains  every  idea  of  return 
toward  a  point  of  departure;  if  it  is  regarded  as  formed 
by  the  same  sign  united  to  that  of  the  root  3K,  image  of 
paternity,  it  designates  the  capture  of  a  whole  tribe,  its 
captivity,  its  deportation  outside  its  country:  thence, 

y&  The  idea  of  any  kind  of  reestablishment,  of 
return  to  an  original  state,  to  a  place  from  which  one  had 
set  out  ;  a  restitution,  a  reformation  :  thence, 

3B>  Every  state  of  captivity,  of  separation  from  one's 
country  :  a  deportation;  a  capture. 

The  Arabic  ^  characterizes  in  general,  that  which 
tends  from  the  centre  to  the  circumference,  increases, 
grows,  unfolds  itself,  returns  to  its  original  state  after 
having  been  restrained;  develops  its  strength,  etc.  The 
primitive  sense  of  the  Hebraic  root  is  recognized  in  the 
Arabic  root  although  its  developments  may  not  be  the 
same. 

I'M  Action  of  coming  back,  of  returning  to  its  first 
state  ;  of  remaking  what  has  been  already  made.  Meta- 
phorically, the  action  of  growing  old  ;  that  which  is  on  the 
wane  ;  an  old  man. 


SHG.  The  sign  of  relative  movement  united 
to  the  organic  sign,  indicates  a  movement  of  the  organ 
deprived  of  intelligence,  a  covetous  movement;  the  same 
sign  joined  by  contraction  to  the  root  JN,  symbol  of 
organic  development,  characterizes  every  kind  of  increase. 
Thence, 

$?  Blind  desire,  thougJitless  inclination;  figura- 
tively, error,  degeneration;  action  of  growing,  augmenting 
in  number,  volume,  duration. 

The  Arabic  »^  preserves  but  little  of  the  radical 
sense.  It  is,  as  onomatopoetic  root  the  action  of  splitting 
a  hard  thing,  of  making  upon  it  an  incision,  a  scar; 
scratching,  furrowing,  etc. 


458        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


SHD.  This  root,  composed  of  the  sign  of 
relative  movement  united  to  that  of  divisional  abundance 
or  by  contraction  with  the  root  "IN  ,  image  of  every  emana- 
tion, characterizes  productive  nature  in  general,  whose 
particular  symbols  are,  a  mammal  and  a  field.  Thence. 
the  name  of  Ht^  ,  given  to  GOD,  as  principle  of  all  good  ; 
Providence. 

The  Arabic  xi  characterizes  that  which  acts  with 
force,  with  energy,  in  good  or  in  evil;  that  which  over- 
throws the  obstacles  opposed  to  it  ;  that  which  shows  itself 
strong  and  powerful.  ^  . 

"IC^  The  effusion  of  the  virtual  faculties,  Nature  :  the 
sign  of  abundance  and  fecundity  ;  a  mammal,  a  field.  All 
physical  property,  fortune,  the  genius  of  the  earth.  A 
song  of  jubilee. 

TUP  (intens.)  Action  of  returning  to  primal,  brut- 
ish nature;  that  is  to  say,  of  devastating,  ravaging  the 
production  of  art,  labour  and  industry. 

"DSJ'  Every  kind  of  devastation,  or  profanation;  pil- 
laging the  fruits  of  nature. 


SHEH.     Root  analogous  to  the  root  N£J>. 
The  Arabic    Ui   characterizes  every  tendency,  every 
persevering  movement  toward  an  object:  action  of  covet- 
ing, wishing,  desiring'  etc. 

IIP  SHOU.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  N15>  ,  but 
conceived  principally  under  its  relation  of  equilibrium, 
equality,  parallel,  similitude,  fitness,  proportion  and 
measure  of  things. 

The  Ethiopic  AG  (shony)  signifies  literally  a  man. 
The  Arabic  ti  characterizes  the  state  of  being  struck 
with  admiration. 

mi?  State  of  being  in  equilibrium  in  all  parts,  as 
every  portion  of  the  circle;  state  Of  being  equal,  conform- 
able, fitting,  just,  qualified  for  something;  etc. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  459 

(comp.)     That  which  is  inclined,  which  leans 
toward  any  object. 

tOW  (comp.)  Action  of  following  something  in  its 
contours,  of  bending,  of  doing  the  same.  See  DJP  • 

t]U5>  (comp.)  Action  of  interring  completely,  cover- 
ing wholly,  burying. 

D1&P  (comp.}  Action  of  placing,  of  arranging  one 
upon  the  other,  in  layers,  as  an  onion. 

y\W  (comp.}  Clamour,  outcry;  action  of  calling 
aloud.  See  $&* 

(comp.)     Action  of  pressing  hard,  suffocating. 
(comp.}     Every  amorous  desire;  every  inclina- 
tion. 

"Vlt£f  (comp.)  Action  of  being  directed  according  to 
fixed  laws,  resting  in  equilibrium,  in  harmony;  modulating 
the  voice,  singing,  etc.  Music,  in  the  very  broad  sense  that 
the  ancients  gave  to  this  word.  See  "tt^* 

£W  (comp.)  State  of  being  in  good  humour,  in 
harmony  with  one's  self. 

fllfi?    (comp.)     Action  of  placing  something.  See  fit?. 

fg?    SHZ.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.     The  Arabic 
Z  indicates  a  dry,  arid  place. 


SHEH.  Every  kind  of  bodily  effort  to  follow 
any  direction;  every  effort  of  the  mind  to  accomplish  a 
duty,  to  acquire  a  virtue. 

The  Arabic  ~i  holds  evidently  to  the  primitive  sense 
of  the  Hebrew,  but  developing  it  from  the  purely  material 
side;  so  that  the  effort  indicated  by  the  root  flttf  ,  being 
turned  toward  egoism,  characterizes  only  tenacity,  avarice; 
desire  to  draw  to  one's  self,  monopolizing,  etc.  As  ono- 

matopoetic  root      j£  depicts  the  noise  made  by  any  kind 
of  fluid  falling  down  from  above. 

nnty  Action  of  being  inclined,  following  an  inclina- 
tion, bending  to  a  law;  in  a  restricted  sense,  the  action 
of  swimming;  of  following  the  course  of  the  water.  See  f"W 


460         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

(comp.)     A  conception,  an  impulse,  a  flight. 
( comp. )     Vegetation. 

SHT.     Every  idea  of  inflection,  inclination  or 
similar  movement.    See  tD1t#» 

The  Arabic  L^  characterizes  that  which  goes  beyond, 
leaves  the  centre,  is  drawn  away,  is  remote  from  its  own 
place. 

^y  SHI.  Root  analogous  to  the  root  It?  whose 
power  it  manifests.  In  its  literal  sense,  it  is  justice 
rendered,  honour  accorded  for  merit,  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^  characterizes  any  thing  in  general, 
whatever  it  may  be;  a  real  and  evident  existence;  that 
which  is  obvious  to  the  senses. 

*!W     SHCH.     The  sign  of  relative  movement,  united 

to  that  of  assimilated  existence,  or  by  contraction  with 
the  root  T]N  ,  image  of  every  restriction,  constitutes  a 
root  whence  are  developed  all  ideas  of  return  to  itself,  of 
envelopment,  exterior  repose,  consciousness. 

The  Arabic     dJLi  develops  the  idea  of  hesitation,  of 

conscientious  doubt.  As  onomatopoetic  rootviU  signi- 
fies literally  to  prick  with  a  goad. 

'ytf  In  a  literal  and  restricted  sense  it  is  an  onion: 
in  a  figurative  sense  it  is  contemplation,  profound  medita- 
tion, speculation,  physical  sleep;  shrouding,  literally,  as 
well  as  figuratively.  See  T 


SHL.  Hieroglyphically,  it  is  a  line  traced 
from  one  object  to  another,  the  stroke  which  unites  them ; 
it  is  expressed  by  the  prepositive  relations  from,  at. 

*?t#  That  which  follows  its  laws ;  that  which  remains 
in  its  straight  line ;  that  which  is  tranquil,  happy,  in  good 
order,  in  the  way  of  salvation. 


KADICAL  VOCABULARY  461 

The  Arabic  J^  has  not  preserved  the  ideas  of  order 
developed  by  the  Hebraic  root  except  in  the  compound  4.LL 

moral  force,  and  in  the  analogue  ^U,  action  of  saluting, 
giving  evidence  of  respect;  but  this  root  becomes  confused 
with  the  following  intensive. 

1~?\V  (intens.)  That  which  goes  out  from  its  line 
beyond  anything  whatsoever;  which  falls  into  error;  that 
which  is  extravagant,  fanatical,  insensate;  that  which 
ignores  law  and  justice. 

The  Arabic  J^  or  JlJ  has  the  same  sense  in  general. 
It  is,  literally,  the  state  of  being  crippled,  crooked,  maimed, 
impotent,  etc. 


SHM.  Hieroglyphically,  it  is  the  circumferen- 
tial extent,  the  entire  sphere  of  any  being  whatever,  the 
total  space  that  it  occupies;  it  is  expressed  by  the  adverb- 
ial relations  there,  in  that  very  place,  within,  inside  there. 
QL?  The  name  of  every  being,  the  sign  which  renders 
it  knowable;  that  which  constitutes  it  such:  a  place,  a 
time,  the  universe,  the  heavens,  GOD  Himself  :  glory,  eclat. 
splendour,  fame,  virtue;  that  which  rises  and  shines  in 
space;  which  is  distinguished,  sublime,  remarkable. 

The  Arabic  ^  has  not  preserved  the  same  intellectual 
ideas  developed  by  the  Hebraic  root,  except  in  certain 
compounds  and  in  the  analogue  f  .  Its  most  common 
acceptations  are  confused  with  that  of  the  following 
intensive  root. 

DDtf  (intens.)  That  which  leaves  its  sphere,  gives 
way  to  pride;  enters  into  madness.  The  inordinate  idea 
of  making  one's-self  remarked,  ambition:  that  which 
troubles,  upsets  the  mind  :  ravages,  lays  waste  the  land. 

The  Arabic  ^    offers  in  general,  the  same  sense  as 

the  Hebrew.     In  a  very  restricted  sense,  the  verb  ^1    sig- 
nifies to  smell. 


462         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

W     SHN.     All  ideas  of  mutation,  iteration,  passing 

from  one  state  to  another;  that  which  leads  to  diversity, 
variation,  change. 

The  Arabic  ^  agrees  with  the  Hebraic  root  only 
in  certain  compounds,  and  in  the  analogue  v- .  As  verb, 
.  i  indicates  the  action  of  triturating,  crushing,  making 

noise. 

\W  The  number  two.  Literally,  that  which  cuts 
and  divides  as  the  teeth;  figuratively,  hatred.  That  which 
varies,  changes;  that  which  measures  and  divides  time;  a 
cyclic  revolution,  an-  ontological  mutation;  in  a  very 
restricted  sense,  a  year. 

y^y  SHUH.  Every  idea  of  conservation,  restora- 
tion, cementation. 

y&  In  a  literal  sense,  lime,  cement,'  in  a  figurative 
sense,  that  which  consolidates,  guarantees;  which  serves 
as  safe-guard;  which  preserves. 

The  Arabic  *2  has  not  preserved  the  radical  sense 
except  in  certain  compounds  and  in  its  analogue  U^» .  By 
•Jt  is  understood  to  radiate,  to  spread  here  and  there,  to 
disperse.  According  to  this  acceptation,  ii  is  attached 
to  the  following  onomatopoetic  root. 

$$  Onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts  the  cry  of  a 
person  who  calls  loudly.  See  W&  « 

(comp.)     An  acclamation, 
(comp.}     The  closed  hand, 
(comp.}     That  which  serves  as  support;  action 
of  supporting,  propping  up. 

MM  (intcns.)  That  which  is  partial  to,  choses, 
conserves  carefully. 

*\y&  (comp.}  A  shudder  of  horror;  or  an  opening, 
a  door:  according  to  the  sense  under  which  one  considers 
the  root 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  463 

SHPH.     Every     apparent,     eminent,     distin- 

guished, prominent  object  :  that  which  extends  beyond,  as 
a  hill;  appears  on  top,  as  cream,  etc. 

The  Arabic  *Jui  designates  in  general  that  which 
becomes  limpid,  clear,  transparent. 

ty&  Onomatopoetic  root,  expressing  the  noise  made 
in  trampling  with  the  feet.  See 


SHTZ.     That  which  leads  to  a  goal,  to  perfec- 
tion, achievement,  end. 

The  Arabic  (jeJ^  designates  in  general  that  which 
serves  as  means  for  catching  fish,  a  fish-hook,  net,  etc. 

p£?    SHCQ.     All  ideas  of  tendency,  of  sympathetic 

inclination  to  possess:  that  which  seeks  and  joins;  that 
which  acts  through  sympathy,  envelops,  embraces,  absorbs. 
pC?  and  ppfiP  (intens.)  That  which  is  united,  which 
attracts  reciprocally  :  action  of  soaking  up,  pumping  water, 
mcking  up.  See  pltJ^ 

The  Arabic  £~  has  not  preserved  the  radical  sense  of 
the  Hebrew.  It  is  an  onomatopoetic  root,  which  in  the 
Arabic  idiom  signifies  literally  to  cleave,  to  split. 


SHR.  This  root  admits  of  several  significa- 
tions, according  to  its  composition.  If  it  is  the  sign  of 
relative  movement  which  is  united  simply  to  that  of  move- 
ment proper,  there  results  from  this  abstract  mingling  of 
the  circular  line  with  the  straight  line,  an  idea  of  solution, 
opening,  liberation;  as  if  a  closed  circle  were  opened;  as 
if  a  chain  were  slackened  :  if  one  considers  this  same  sign 
of  relative  movement,  being  united  by  contraction  to  the 
elementary  root  IN,  then  it  partakes  of  the  diverse 
expressions  of  this  root  and  develops  ideas  of  strength, 
vigour,  domination,  power,  which  result  from  the  elemen- 
tary principle;  if  finally,  one  sees  in  the  root  "Vi  the  root 


404         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

It?,  symbol  of  all  harmonious  proportion,  joined  to  the 
sign  of  movement  proper,  one  discovers  here  the  expression 
of  that  which  is  directed  according  to  just  and  upright 
laws  ;  thence,  according  to  the  first  signification  : 

*ltP  That  which  liberates,  opens,  brings  out,  emits, 
produces;  as  the  navel,  a  field,  etc.;  according  to  the 
second  : 

T1tJ>  (intens.)  That  which  is  solid,  firm,  resisting, 
as  a  wall.,  breast-plate,  chain;  that  which  is  strong,  vigor- 
ous, as  a  bull;  that  which  is  dominating,  powerful,  as  a 
king,  a  prince;  that  which  is  formidable,  as  a  rival,  an 
enemy,  etc.;  according  to  the  third: 

*KP»  T)&'  or  "W  That  which  is  measured,  co- 
ordinate, fust,  conformable  with  universal  harmony, 
restricted  to  regulations,  as  a  musical  song,  a  melody,  a 
law,  a  poem,  a  system  of  government,  etc. 

The  Hebraic  genius  merging  these  three  expressions 
in  one,  draws  from  it  the  most  complicated  and  most 
abstract  sense  that  amr  tongue  can  offer  :  that  of  a  govern- 
ment, liberal,  ready,  indulgent,  productive  within  ;  power- 
ful, strong,  redoubtable,  dominating  without,  which  extends 
its  empire  by  directing  it  according  to  just,  luminous  laws 
modelled  upon  the  immutable  laws  of  order  and  universal 
harmony. 

The  Arabic  ^  does  not  agree  with  the  Hebrew  in 
the  radical  sense,  except  in  certain  of  its  compounds  and 
in  its  analogues  ^  and  jL»  .  This  root,  in  the  Arabic 
idiom  has  become  intensive,  and  has  developed  ideas  wholly 
contrary,  as  has  been  seen  often  in  the  course  of  this 
vocabulary.  Thus,  instead  of  order  and  justice  expressed 
by  "\W  ,  the  intensive  verb  TKP  or  j^i  ,  characterizes  the 
action  of  that  which  is  inordinate,  unjust,  wicked,  perfidi- 
ous, contrary  to  harmony  and  public  welfare, 


SHSH.     All  ideas  of  proportion,  measure  and 
harmony. 


KADICAL  VOCABULARY  465 

tJ't?  The  number  six.  That  which  is  in  harmonious 
relations,  as  the  colour  ichitc;  in  consequence,  the  albatross, 
the  lily,  linen,  old  age:  that  which  enjoys  calm  and 
happiness.  See  6Wt 

The  Arabic  JLl  develops  ideas  entirely  opposed  to 
the  Hebraic  root,  on  account  of  the  intensive  form  which 
herein  dominates.  The  verb  ,J-^i  designates  in  general, 
that  which  troubles,  mixes,  deranges,  etc. 


SHTH.  This  root,  composed  of  the  signs  of 
relative  and  reciprocal  movement,  indicates  the  place 
toward  which  things  irresistibly  incline,  and  the  things 
themselves  which  incline  toward  this  place:  thence, 

fit?  The  depths,  the  foundations,  literally  as  well  as 
figuratively;  the  place  where  the  sea  is  gathered;  the  sea 
itself;  every  kind  of  depth;  every  kind  of  beverage. 

The  Arabic  ^L  has  retained  only  a  portion  of  the 
radical  sense,  in  that  which  concerns  the  movement  of 
water,  the  separation  of  this  fluid  into  drops,  its  distilla- 
tion, dispersion.  The  other  portion  of  the  primitive  sense 

is  found  in  the  analogue  £*•  which  designates  in  general, 
the  bottom  or  the  foundation  of  things,  the  seat  and 
particularly  the  buttocks. 

rW  Action  of  putting  at  the  bottom,  founding,  seat- 
ing, placing,  disposing,  etc. 


n  TH.  This  character  as  consonant,  belongs  to  the 
sibilant  sound.  The  ancient  Egyptians  in  consecrating 
it  to  Thoth,  whose  name  they  gave  it,  regarded  it  as  the 
symbol  of  the  universal  mind.  As  grammatical  sign  in 
the  Hebraic  tongue,  it  is  that  of  sympathy  and  reciprocity ; 
joining,  to  the  abundance  of  the  character  "1,  to  the  force 
of  resistance  and  protection  of  the  character  0,  the  idea 
of  perfection  and  necessity  of  which  it  is  the  emblem. 
Although  it  does  not  hold  a  particular  rank  among  the 


466        THE  HEBRAIC   TONGUE  RESTORED 

articles,  it  appears  nevertheless  too  often  at  the  head  of 
words,  for  one  not  to  suspect  that  it  was  used  as  such  in 
one  of  the  Egyptian  dialects,  where  without  doubt  it 
represented  the  relation  J"IN  ;  in  the  same  manner  that  the 
character  5  represented  the  relation  N5»  jffi  or  '£. 
Its  arithmetical  number  is  400. 


THA.     Every  idea  of  determination,  designa- 
tion, definition. 

n&H    That  which  limits,  determines,  defines,  circum- 
scribes.    It  is,  in  a  restricted  sense,  the  nuptial  chamber. 

The  Arabic  U  expresses  a  mutual  desire. 

3RT1     (  comp.  )     A  mutual  desire. 

QXfi     (comp.)     To  be  double,  twain. 

JttH      (comp.  )     An  occasion,  occurrence;  a  reciprocal 
sorrow;  a  fig-tree.    See  JX. 

(comp.)     A  description,  an  information,  a  plan. 


THE.  Every  kind  of  sympathetic  union  by 
affinity;  a  globe,  a  sphere;  the  vessel  of  the  universe,  the 
world,  the  earth;  etc. 

The  Arabic  ^  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  charac- 
terizes the  movement  of  disgust  with  which  one  repels  a 
thing:  for  shame!  The  verb  s_A»"  expresses  the  action  of 
repenting  for  a  sin. 

Din  Action  of  turning,  returning  upon  one's  step, 
following  a  circular  movement. 

The  Arabic  w»l»  signifies  literally  to  improve,  to 
return  from  wandering. 

3J"}  THG.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
?3  indicates  a  mutation,  a  fleeting  action;  the  course  of 
something.  By  »»\j  is  understood,  a  mitre,  a  tiara. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  467 

THD.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chaldaic 
as  well  as  the  Syriac    hi   indicate  equally  the  breast. 

The  Arabic    IjJ    or    \Ju     signifies  to  moisten,  to  wet, 
to  sprinkle. 


THEH.  Root  analogus  to  the  root  NH;  but 
whose  expression,  more  moral,  characterizes  the  influential 
and  sympathetic  reason  of  things. 

The  Arabic  Ul  signifies  literally  to  be  Jed  astray, 
lost  in  empty  space.  By  the  compound  4jW  ,  a  vain 
thing;  by  the  verb  Atiu  a  thing  which  is  liquified. 

Dlnn  (comp.)  The  depths  of  universal  existence. 
See  in  . 

^  THOU.  Root  analogous  to  the  roots  KH  and 
Hi"),  but  of  an  effect  more  physical. 

in  Every  idea  of  sign,  symbol,  hieroglyphic,  emble- 
matic character:  fable,  recitation,  description,  book. 
monument,  etc. 

The  Arabic  y  characterizes  a  simple  thing,  not  com- 
pound, not  complex,  such  as  a  blade  of  grass,  a  word  of 
one  single  letter.  It  is  also,  in  a  restricted  sense,  an  hour, 
an  extent  of  time  considered  in  a  simple  manner. 

?T)n  Action  of  designing,  signifying,  characterizing, 
describing,  etc. 

Tjin  (comp.)  The  middle,  the  between  of  things, 
the  point  of  contact.  See  T]n  . 

"Tin  (comp.)  A  circular  sympathetic  movement;  a 
row,  order,  turn.  See  "in. 

}J-|  THZ.  Every  general  idea  of  vibration  and  re- 
action. In  a  restricted  sense  it  is  the  action  of  cutting 
with  the  sword. 


468         THE  HEBRAIC   TONGUE  RESTORED 


THEH-  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
indicates  an  emotion  which  pertains  to  the  weakness  of 
the  organs.  In  adding  the  guttural  inflection,  this  root 
characterizes  in  *J,  the  action  of  slackening. 

Jinn  (comp.)  That  state  of  submission  and  of 
dependence  expressed  by  the  relations,  under,  below, 
beneath  :  that  which  is  inferior.  See  JTf  • 


THT-     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.     The  Arabic 
expresses  a  state  of  infancy,  weakness  ;  imbecility. 

*!]")    THI.     Root  analogous  to  the  root  HH* 
DTI      (comp.)     Mid-day. 

(comp.}     A  he-goat.     See   t£Tli 

THCH.     This    root     characterizes    the    sym- 

pathetic point  in  which  things  are  formed  as  to  their  parts, 
or  united  one  to  the  other;  the  point  of  contact  at  which 
they  touch  ;  the  central  point  toward  which  they  gravitate. 
Thence, 

T|n  or  Tpn  (intens.)  Every  idea  of  intermediary 
link,  space  between;  the  delicate  point  of  a  thing,  of  a 
question  ;  the  dexterity  with  which  it  is  seized  ;  the  finesse 
with  which  it  is  used  :  that  which  tends  to  the  same  point  ; 
that  which  oppresses;  a  calamity;  etc.  See  TJV"1» 

The  Arabic  d\»  has  preserved  of  the  radical  sense  of 
the  Hebrew,  only  the  sole  development  which  is  connected 
with  oppression,  either  physical  or  moral;  as  that  of  a 
man  oppressed  by  drunkenness  or  by  an  attack  of  folly. 

The  intensive  verb  £\z&  or  <*Jli5sj  signifies  again  to  trample 
under  foot,  to  cover  with  waves,  to  overflow. 


THL.  Every  idea  of  piling,  massing,  accum- 
ulation; that  which  is  heaped  up;  that  which  is  placed 
one  upon  another. 


KADICAL  VOCABULARY  469 

The  Arabic  J;  holds  to  the  radical  sense  of  the 
Hebrew,  in  the  greater  part  of  its  developments.  In  a 
restricted  sense,  the  Arabic  root  signifies,  nevertheless, 
to  raise;  by  $  is  understood  to  draw  out  the  earth  in 
digging  a  well. 

*?n  and  VTn  (intcns.)  A  heap,,  a  mound;  a  thing 
suspended,  as  a  quiver,  a  trophy  of  arms,  etc. 


THM.  This  root,  in  which  the  sign  of  signs, 
symbol  of  all  perfection,  is  found  universalized  by  the  col- 
lective sign  D,  develops  the  idea  of  that  which  is  universal- 
ly true,  universally  approved;  accomplished  image  of  the 
universal  mind:  thence, 

Dfl  Perfection,  integrity,  either  physically  or  mor- 
ally :  truth,  justice,  sanctity,  all  the  virtues. 

The  Arabic  *;  partakes  of  nearly  all  the  developments 
of  the  Hebraic  root.  In  a  restricted  sense,  it  is,  as  verb, 
the  action  of  achieving,  accomplishing,  perfecting,  finish- 

ing.    As  adverbial  relation,    ^    is  represented  by  there, 
yonder. 

DOn  (intens.)  Every  exaggerated,  degenerated 
virtue  become  an  error,  an  imperfection,  a  ruin. 

|J")     THN.     Every  idea  of  substance  added,  of  cor- 

poreity   increasing    more    and    more;    an    extension,    an 
enlargement,  a  largess;  in  a  restricted  sense,  a  gift. 

The  Arabic  Ji  signifies  literally,  to  put  into  two,  to 
carry  number  one  to  number  two;  to  compare  together: 
to  augment.  By  Jl  ,  is  understood  dry  grass,  hay.  As 

onomatopoetic  root,    j»    depicts  the  noise  of  metals,  the 
tinkling  of  sonorous  chords. 

fn  Action  of  giving;  an  offering,  a  present:  that 
which  is  liberal,  generous. 


470         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

pjl  (  intens.  )  Action  of  growing,  extending  beyond 
measure  :  a  monster,  a  dragon,  a  crocodile;  in  general,  the 
cetacean  species. 

Qfl  THS.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chal- 
daic  designates  a  boiling,  a  fervour.  The  Arabic  ^^-J  de- 
signates race,  lineage. 

yf]  THTJH.  That  which  is  false,  illusory,  vain; 
that  which  has  only  appearance,  semblance. 

n^n  State  of  being  abused,  seduced,  deceived  by 
specious  exterior;  hypocrisy,  fraud. 

The  Arabic    «;  holds  to  the  Hebraic  root  only  on  the 
physical  side,  and  indicates  the  state  of  that  which  is 
enervated,    without   vigour.      As    onomatopoetic    root     «J 
depicts  stammering,  hesitation  in  speaking. 
Action  of  mocking,  laughing. 


THPH.     Onomatopoetic    root    expressing    the 

noise  of  a  drum.  Thence  by  analogy,  the  Arabic  ^_*T  to 
spit;  metaphorically,  every  object  which  is  disgusting  and 
repulsive  to  the  sight.  In  the  Arabic  idiom,  ,_o  signifies 
a  tambourine. 

fpH  The  Chaldaic  word  signifies  the  action  of  ana- 
thematizing, cursing.  The  Arabic  ^j\j  indicates  the  state 
of  being  culpable,  disordered  by  crime,  debased  by  vice. 


THCQ.  Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Chal- 
daic expresses  moral  doubt,  or  physical  effort.  The  Arabic 
jl  is  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  is  represented  by 
look  out!  The  verb  j\t  signifies  to  desire. 


RADICAL  VOCABULARY  471 

THR.     Every  idea  of  determination  given  to 
an  element  :  in  a  very  broad  sense,  modality. 

in  In  a  restricted  sense,  every  kind  of  fusion,  in- 
fusion ,  distillation. 

The  Arabic  j  or  J  holds  to  the  Hebraic  root  only 
on  the  most  restricted  and  most  physical  side.  It  is  literally, 
that  which  has  juice,  that  which  gives  liquid,  that  which 
distils. 

"Yin  Action  of  modifying,  changing;  turning  from 
one  manner  to  another;  action  of  converting,  translating, 
distilling;  action  of  surrounding,  turning  about  in  a  circle, 
etc.  See  "Yin  • 


THSH.  Sympathetic  ardour  of  nature,  the 
generative  fire. 

fiPVl  or   Wn  Symbol  of  animal  fecundity,  a  goat. 

The  Arabic  j£  signifies  literally  a  wine-skin,  on 
account  of  the  skin  of  the  goat  of  which  it  is  made  ;  meta- 
phorically, the  air  contained  in  the  skin  and  which  escapos 
by  pressing.  The  compound  word  £?&  expresses  a 
sort  of  transmutation,  of  passing  from  one  state  to  another. 


THTH.     Root  not  used  in  Hebrew.  The  Arabic 
indicates  a  cleft,  a  furrow;  a  solution  of  continuity. 


END    OF    PART    FIRST. 


The  Hebraic  Tongue  Restored 


Part  Second. 


CONTENTS 
OF  PART  SECOND 

PAGE 

Preliminary   Discourse 5 

Cosmogony  of  Moses  23 

Original  Text :  Literal  Version :  Notes 23 

Sepher  Beraeshith     N    Cosmogony   1 24 

3                         II 64 

J                        III 94 

T                        IV 122 

n  v 150 

1  VI 174 

r  vii 200 

n  vin 222 

V  IX 246 

*  X.... 272 

3 


4  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Correct  Translation  307 

Ch.  I  Principiation 309 

Ch.  II  Distinction   313 

Ch.  Ill  Extraction 317 

Ch.  IV  Divisional  Multiplication 321 

Ch.  V  Facultative  Comprehension 325 

Ch.  VI  Proportional  Measurement 329 

Ch.  VII  Consummation 332 

Ch.  VIII  Accumulation 335 

Ch.  IX  Restoration  Consolidated 338 

Ch.  X  Aggregative  and  Formative  Energy 342 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE 

If,  instead  of  Hebrew,  I  had  chosen  Chinese  or  Sans- 
krit as  the  basis  of  my  labour,  having  reached  this  point  of 
my  work  I  might  have  mastered  the  greatest  difficulties; 
for,  after  having  developed  the  principles  of  these  tongues 
by  explaining  their  constitutive  elements  and  their  radi- 
cal forms,  there  would  only  remain  for  me  to  show  the  at- 
tentive and  unprejudiced  reader,  the  excellence  of  these 
same  principles  in  applying  them  to  the  translation  of 
certain  chapters  from  the  Kings  or  the  Vedas.  But  the 
choice  that  I  have  made  of  Hebrew  places  me  in  quite  a 
contrary  position.  The  difficulties  increase  even  where  they 
should  be  lessened ;  what  might  have  been  a  sort  of  comple- 
ment, an  easy  result,  becomes  the  principal  object,  awak- 
ens, fixes  the  attention,  arouses  and  excites  the  reader; 
whereas  he  would  have  remained  calm,  and  might  have 
followed  me  with  an  interest  which,  being  keen,  would  have 
been  impartial.  This  is  the  effect  of  the  translation  which 
I  have  felt  impelled  to  make  of  the  Sepher  of  Moses.  I 
have  realized  it  and  have  foreseen  all  the  consequences.  I 
was  even  inclined  to  make  this  translation  the  principal 
title  of  my  work,  naming  it  simply  The  Cosmogony  of 
Moses;  but  then  I  would  have  placed  the  Hebraic  tongue 
in  the  background  and  my  first  plan  was  that  -it  should 
occupy  the  foreground;  since  it  was  while  seeking  the 
origin  of  speech  that  I  encountered  this  tongue  and  con- 
sidered it  particularly  as  one  of  those  whose  grammatical 
principles  could  more  safely  lead  to  this  unknown  origin 
and  unveil  its  mysteries. 

I  shall  not  repeat  what  I  have  said  in  my  Disserta- 
tion concerning  this  tongue  itself,  its  culture,  its  perfec- 
tion among  the  ancient  Egyptians,  and  its  transplanta- 
tion,— effect  of  the  providential  emigration  of  the  Heb- 
rews ;  neither  shall  I  speak  of  the  rapid  degeneration  of  its 
expressions,  which  from  metaphorical,  intelligible,  and 


6  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

universal  had  become  literal,  sentient  and  particular; 
neither  of  its  utter  loss,  nor  of  the  insurmountable  obstac- 
les which  the  temporal  state  of  things  brought  about  in 
its  reestablishment :  I  have  taken  care  to  prove  these 
diverse  assertions  as  much  as  the  obscurity  of  the  centuries 
and  the  lack  of  monuments  have  permitted :  I  have  estab- 
lished my  Grammar  upon  principles  whose  simplicity 
exemplifies  its  veracity  and  strength.  Now  it  is  only  a 
question  of  applying  these  principles.  The  Sepher  is 
presented.  But  what  a  host  of  phantoms  move  by  its 
side! 

Child  of  the  past  and  teeming  with  the  future,  this 
book,  inheritor  of  all  the  sciences  of  the  Egyptians  bears 
still  the  germs  of  future  sciences.  Fruit  of  divine  inspira- 
tion it  contains  in  few  pages  the  elements  of  that  which 
was,  and  the  elements  of  that  which  shall  be.  All  the  se- 
crets of  Nature  are  entrusted  to  it.  All.  It  assembles 
in  the  Beraeshith  alone,  more  things  than  all  the  accumu- 
lated books  in  European  libraries.  Whatever  is  most  pro- 
found, most  mysterious  in  Nature,  whatever  wonders  can 
be  conceived  in  the  mind;  whatever  is  most  sublime  in 
the  understanding,  this  book  possesses  it. 

The  Sepher  is  the  basis  of  the  Christian  and  Mussul- 
man religions,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Judaic,  which  claims 
justly  the  name  of  their  common  mother;  but  this  basis  is 
equally  unknown  to  all  three,  as  far  as  the  vulgar  teaching 
is  concerned;  for  I  know  that  among  the  Israelites  there 
exist  certain  successors  of  the  Essenes  who  possess  the 
oral  traditions,  and  among  the  Christians  and  Mussulmans 
certain  men  more  advanced  than  others  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Sacred  Books.  The  versions  which  these  three 
religions  possess  are  all  made  in  the  spirit  of  that  of  the 
Hellenists  which  has  been  their  model :  that  is  to  say,  that 
they  deal  with  the  exterior  forms  of  the  work  of  Moses, 
with  the  grossest  and  most  material  sense  only,  the  one 
which  this  theocrat  had  destined  as  a  veil  for  the  spiritual 
sense,  the  knowledge  of  which  he  reserved  for  the  initiates. 
Now  to  what  point  ought  one  to  reveal  this  basis  upon 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  7 

which  repose  the  three  dominating  cults  of  the  earth?  To 
what  point  ought  one  to  lighten  the  mysterious  darkness 
by  which  it  has  with  purpose  been  surrounded? 

These  are  the  stumbling  blocks  that  I  have  long  since 
foreseen  and  whose  principle  I  have  already  attacked  in 
my  Dissertation;  for  if  it  is  true,  as  everything  convinces 
me,  that  Providence,  opening  the  portals  of  a  New  Day,  is 
pushing  minds  on  toward  the  perfecting  of  knowledge,  is 
recalling  Truth  designedly  eclipsed,  and  is  hastening  the 
downfall  of  prejudices  which  had  served  it  in  less  happy 
times ;  what  are  these  stumbling  blocks  whose  aspect  terri- 
fies? Vain  phantoms  that  the  breath  of  Truth  ought  to 
dissipate  and  will  dissipate. 

Europe,  after  long  darkness  and  keen  agitations,  en- 
lightened by  the  successive  efforts  of  the  sages  of  all  na- 
tions, and  taught  by  her  misfortunes  and  her  own  experi- 
ences, seems  at  last  to  have  arrived  at  the  moment  of  en- 
joying in  peace  the  fruit  of  her  iabours.  Escaped  from 
the  moral  winter  whose  thick  mists  had  long  obscured  her 
horizon  she  has  for  several  centuries  experienced  the  pro- 
ductive warmth  of  spring.  Already  the  flowers  of  thought 
from  all  parts  have  embellished  the  reigns  of  Alphonso,  of 
the  Medicis  and  of  Louis  XIV*.  Her  spiritual  summer 
draws  nigh  and  the  fruit  is  about  to  succeed  the  flowers. 
Minds  more  advanced  demand  more  solid  food. 

The  ancient  religions  and  particularly  that  of  the 
Egyptians,  were  full  of  mysteries,  and  composed  of  num- 
berless pictures  and  symbols,  sacred  work  of  an  uninter- 
rupted chain  of  divine  men,  who,  reading  in  the  book  of 
Nature  and  in  that  of  the  Divinity,  translated  into  human 

•  I  call  the  age  of  Alphonso,  that  in  which  the  Oscan  troubadours 
appeared.  Alphonso  X,  king  of  Leon  and  Castile,  through  his  love  for 
the  sciences  merits  the  honour  of  giving  his  name  to  the  age  which 
saw  them  renascent  in  Europe.  In  my  younger  days  I  consecrated 
to  the  memory  of  the  Oscan  troubadours,  a  work  in  which  I  tried  to 
do  for  them  what  Macpherson  had  already  done  for  the  bards  of 
the  North.  I  was  at  that  time  quite  far  from  the  ideas  which  occupy 
me  now. 


8  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

language,  the  ineffable  language.  Those  whose  dull  glance, 
falling  upon  these  pictures,  these  symbols,  these  holy  alle- 
gories, saw  nothing  beyond,  were  sunk,  it  is  true,  in  ignor- 
ance; but  their  ignorance  was  voluntary.  From  the  mo- 
ment that  they  wished  to  leave  it,  they  had  only  to  speak. 
All  the  sanctuaries  were  opened  to  them,  and  if  they  had 
the  necessary  constancy  and  virtue,  nothing  hindered  them 
from  passing  from  knowledge  to  knowledge,  from  revela- 
tion to  revelation  to  the  sublimest  discoveries.  They 
might,  living  and  human,  according  to  the  force  of  their 
will,  descend  among  the  dead,  rise  to  the  gods  and  pene- 
trate everything  in  elementary  nature.  For  religion  em- 
braced all  these  things,  and  nothing  of  that  which  com- 
posed religion  remained  unknown  to  the  sovereign  pontiff. 
The  one,  for  example,  at  the  famous  Egyptian  Thebes, 
reached  this  culminating  point  of  the  sacred  doctrine  only 
after  having  passed  through  all  the  inferior  grades,  having 
exhausted  in  succession  the  portion  of  science  allotted  to 
each  grade,  and  having  proved  himself  worthy  of  attaining 
to  the  highest. 

The  king  of  Egypt  alone  was  initiated  by  right,  and 
by  the  inevitable  course  of  his  education,  admitted  to  the 
most  secret  mysteries.  The  priests  had  the  instruction  of 
their  order,  their  knowledge  increased  as  they  rose  in  rank 
and  all  knew  that  their  superiors  were  not  only  much 
higher  but  much  more  enlightened.  So  that  the  sacerdotal 
hierarchy  like  a  pyramid  seated  upon  its  base,  offered  al- 
ways in  its  theocratic  organization,  knowledge  allied  with 
power.  As  to  the  people,  they  were,  according  to  their  in- 
clination whatever  they  wished  to  be.  Knowledge  offered 
to  all  Egyptians  was  forced  upon  none.  The  dogmas  of 
morality,  the  laws  of  politics,  the  restraint  of  opinion, 
the  yoke  of  civil  institutions  were  the  same  for  all ;  but  the 
religious  instruction  differed  according  to  the  capacity, 
virtue  and  will  of  each  individual.  They  were  not  prodigal 
with  the  mysteries,  and  did  not  profane  the  knowledge  of 
the  Divinity;  in  order  to  preserve  the  Truth,  it  was  not 
given  indiscriminately. 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  9 

This  was  the  condition  of  things  in  Egypt,  when 
Moses,  obedient  to  a  special  impulse  from  Providence  fol- 
lowed the  path  of  sacerdotal  initiation,  and  with  such  con- 
stancy as  perhaps  only  Pythagoras  later  displayed,  passed 
through  all  tests,  surmounted  all  obstacles  and  braving 
the  death  threatening  each  step,  attained  at  Thebes  the 
highest  degree  of  divine  knowledge.  This  knowledge  which 
he  modified  by  a  particular  inspiration,  he  enclosed  entire 
in  the  Berseshith,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  first  book  of  his 
Sepher,  reserving  as  its  safe-guard  the  four  books  which 
follow,  and  which  give  to  the  people  who  should  be  its 
trustee,  ideas,  institutions  and  laws  which  would  distin- 
guish them  essentially  from  all  other  peoples,  marking 
them  with  an  indelible  character. 

I  have  already  related  the  various  revolutions  under- 
gone by  the  Sepher,  in  order  to  show  that  the  condition  of 
things  in  Europe  and  in  all  parts  of  the  earth,  wherever 
the  Judaic  cult  and  its  two  derivatives — the  Christian  and 
Islamic,  have  extended,  is  precisely  the  inverse  of  what  it 
was  in  Egypt  at  the  epoch  when  the  germ  of  this  cult  was 
detached  from  it  and  entrusted  to  the  Hebrew  people.  The 
Bcrwshith  which  contains  all  the  secrets  of  elementary  and 
divine  Nature,  offered  to  peoples,  to  the  heads  of  peoples, 
to  the  priests  themselves,  under  its  most  material  covering, 
commands  their  faith  in  this  state,  and  presents  as  basis 
of  their  religion  a  sequence  of  pictures  and  symbols  that 
human  reason,  at  the  point  which  it  has  attained  can  only 
grasp  with  great  difficulty. 

It  cannot  be  said,  as  in  Egypt,  that  the  understanding 
of  these  pictures  or  the  revelation  of  the  symbols  may  be 
given  to  whomsoever  desires  it.  Not  at  all.  The  Judaic 
priesthood,  destined  to  guard  the  Sepher  of  Moses,  has  not 
been  generally  destined  to  comprehend  it  and  still  less  to 
explain  it.  Possessor  of  the  profoundest  mysteries,  this 
priesthood  is  to  these  mysteries  as  the  Egyptian  people 
were  to  theirs:  with  this  difference,  that  the  position  of 
this  priesthood  does  not  allow  it  to  penetrate  these  mys- 
teries; for  in  order  to  do  this  it  would  have  to  recognize 


10  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

superiors  and  address  itself  to  the  Essenes  whose  doctrine 
it  condemns  and  whose  traditions  it  does  not  admit  as  au- 
thentic. Moreover  these  Essenes,  isolated,  unknown  and 
often  persecuted,  no  longer  offer  today  a  sufficient  guaran- 
tee. Thus  this  priesthood,  whose  devotion  to  the  exterior 
forms  of  the  Sepher,  is  in  keeping  writh  its  fidelity  to  the 
purpose  of  its  institution,  is  further  from  divine  knowl- 
edge in  the  highest  of  its  priests  than  in  its  humblest ;  for 
its  purpose,  as  I  have  said,  being  to  preserve  and  not  to 
comprehend,  it  had  to  be  limited  to  transmitting  intact  the 
sacred  storehouse  which  had  been  confided  to  its  keeping, 
and  this  obligation  it  has  fulfilled  with  a  force,  constancy 
and  rectitude  beyond  all  eulogy. 

Has  the  Christian  priesthood  in  receiving  this  store- 
house from  the  hands  of  the  Judaic  priesthood,  contracted 
the  same  obligations?  That  is  to  say,  is  it  bound  to  trans- 
mit it  faithfully  from  generation  to  generation  without 
ever  being  permitted  to  open  it?  It  is  not  my  purpose  to 
determine  this  question.  But  in  the  state  of  civilization 
and  enlightenment  which  Europe  has  attained  since  the 
invention  of  printing,  the  Sepher  of  Moses  has  not  re- 
mained a  book  entirely  theological.  Spread  broadcast  in 
all  classes  of  society,  thanks  to  this  admirable  invention,  it 
has  been  examined  by  all  sorts  of  persons  and  subjected  to 
the  rigorous  analysis  of  savants.  All  sects  have  taken 
possession  of  it  and  vying  with  one  another,  have  sought 
reasons  for  defending  their  belief.  The  numberless  dis- 
putes brought  forth  by  the  various  interpretations  of  which 
the  text  has  been  believed  susceptible,  has  made  this  text 
more  and  more  popular ;  so  that  one  may  say  with  reason 
that  this  book  has  also  become  a  classic.  It  is  under  this 
last  relation  that  the  lay  writers  consider  it  in  Europe  to- 
day, and  that  I  myself  consider  it*. 


*  The  study  of  the  Sepher  of  Moses,  very  widespread  in  Germany 
and  in  England,  and  the  examination  of  the  divers  parts  of  which  it 
is  composed,  has  brought  forth  in  these  countries  a  new  science  known 
hy  the  modern  savants  under  the  name  of  Exegesis. 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  11 

I  have  therefore  translated  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses 
as  litterateur,  after  having  restored,  as  grammarian,  the 
tongue  in  which  this  Cosmogony  was  written  in  its  original 
text. 

Therefore  it  is  not  for  the  theologian  that  I  have  writ- 
ten, but  for  the  litterateur,  for  the  people  of  the  world, 
for  the  savants,  for  all  persons  desirous  of  knowing  the  an- 
cient mysteries  and  of  seeing  to  what  point,  the  peoples 
who  have  preceded  us  in  the  course  of  life,  had  penetrated 
into  the  sanctuary  of  nature  and  into  that  of  knowledge; 
for  I  believe  I  have  expressed  quite  strongly,  my  opinion 
concerning  the  origin  of  the  Sepher :  this  book  is,  according 
to  the  proofs  which  I  have  given  in  my  Introductory  Dis- 
sertation, one  of  the  genetical  books  of  the  Egyptians,  is- 
sued, as  far  as  its  first  .part  called  Berceshith  is  concerned, 
from  the  depths  of  the  temples  of  Memphis  or  of  Thebes; 
Moses,  who  received  extracts  therefrom  in  the  course  of  his 
initiations  had  only  arranged  them,  and  added  according 
to  the  providential  will  which  guided  him,  the  enlighten- 
ment of  his  own  inspiration,  so  as  to  confide  this  store- 
house to  the  people  by  whom  he  was  recognized  as  prophet 
and  theocratic  lawgiver. 

My  translation  of  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses  should  be 
considered  only  as  a  literary  work  and  by  no  means 
as  a  theological  work.  I  have  not  intended  it  to 
command  the  faith  of  anyone  and  still  less  to  distress  any- 
one. I  have  carefully  put  aside  from  my  notes  all  that 
which  might  have  any  reference  to  theological  disputes; 
limiting  myself  to  prove  grammatically  the  meaning  that 
I  have  given  to  the  words  and  to  show  the  strong  connec- 
tion of  this  meaning  with  what  followed  or  with  what  had 
preceded.  I  have  purposely  omitted  any  commentary; 
leaving  the  reader  to  make  his  own  comparisons. 

However  it  is  not  through  timidity  nor  through  ignor- 
ance of  reasons  which  I  might  use,  that  I  have  evaded  the- 
ological controversy;  it  is  through  respect  for  the  Christian 
church  which  must  know  perfectly  to  what  point  she  ought 
or  ought  not  to  adopt  the  new  ideas  that  I  present.  These 


12  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

ideas,  purely  literary,  as  long  as  they  remain  in  my  book, 
might  become  theological,  and  would  become  irresistibly 
so,  by  passing  into  the  books  of  theologians  and  being  sub- 
jected to  their  interpretations. 

Whatever  may  be  the  fate  of  my  book,  I  think  that  it 
will  not  be  from  the  Reformed  Christians,  Lutherans  or 
Calvinists  that  I  shall  find  slanderers.  For,  is  there  in 
Germany,  in  England  or  elsewhere,  a  Protestant  even 
slightly  instructed  in  the  motives  of  the  Reformation  who 
has  not  learned  early  to  weigh  the  authorities  and  ap- 
preciate them  at  their  just  value?  What  disciple  of  Luther 
or  Calvin  does  not  know  that  any  version  whatsoever  of  the 
Sepher  can  never  be  made  a  rule  in  the  matter  of  faith,  and 
in  no  case  should  usurp  the  place  of  the  original  text  and 
be  followed  in  preference?  If  he  pretended  otherwise, 
would  he  not  deny  the  fundamental  principle  of  his  sect 
and  would  he  not  repudiate  its  authors?  What  have 
Luther,  Zwingli  and  Calvin  said,  and  before  them  John 
Huss,  Wycliff  and  Berenger ;  that  the  Scripture  alone  was 
and  ought  to  be  the  rule  of  faith;  that  every  man  of  sane 
understanding  and  just  mind,  became  its  legitimate  inter- 
preter after  his  studies  had  given  him  such  power,  or  when 
God  had  deigned  to  grant  him  the  inspiration?  Now  of 
which  Scriptures  did  these  promoters  of  the  Reform  speak, 
these  proud  antagonists  of  sacerdotal  authority?  Was  it 
of  the  Scriptures  of  the  Hellenists  or  that  of  Saint  Je- 
rome? Assuredly  not ;  but  of  the  original  Scriptures :  and 
this  is  so  true  that,  suspecting  these  imperfect  copies,  with 
just  reason,  of  not  being  sufficiently  confirmed,  nearly  all 
of  them  undertook  a  new  translation  of  the  text.  If  they 
did  not  succeed  in  the  interpretations  which  they  gave  of 
the  Sepher,  it  was  because  the  means  and  not  the  will  was 
lacking.  The  temporal  state  of  things  at  that  time  was 
opposed  to  their  desires.  They  have  attempted  it,  and  that 
is  enough  to  legitimatize  my  efforts'  in  the  eyes  of  the  Re- 
formers as  this  is  all  that  I  have  claimed  to  do. 

If  among  the  Catholic  priesthood  there  are  men  ju- 
dicious enough  to  consider,  in  this  purely  literary  work, 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  13 

what  it  has  useful  to  morality  and  to  religion  in  general, 
and  who,  ready  to  receive  the  truth  if  it  were  shown  them, 
await  only  a  legal  authority  to  sanction  an  examination; 
I  could  give  them  satisfaction:  for  it  is  not  for  want  of 
proofs  that  I  avoid  controversies  but  for  want  of  inclina- 
tion. Here  are  two  authorities  that  cannot  be  challenged. 
The  first,  that  of  Saint  Paul,  the  wisest  of  the  apostles, 
proves  that  already  in  his  time,  it  was  an  acknowledged 
opinion  that  the  Jews  no  longer  understood  the  text  of  the 
Sepher,  and  had  not  the  power  to  raise  the  veil  which 
Moses  had  spread  over  his  doctrine. 

The  second,  that  of  Saint  Augustine,  the  most  learned 
of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church,  proves  my  entire  translation 
in  giving  to  the  first  two  verses  of  the  Beraeshith,  exactly 
the  same  meaning  as  I  have  given ;  a  meaning  wholly  con- 
trary to  the  Vulgate. 

"But  our  sufficiency  is  of  God ;  who  also  hath  made  us 
able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament ;  not  of  the  letter,  but 
of  the  spirit  .  .  .  Seeing  then  that  we  have  such  hope,  we 
use  great  plainness  of  speech :  and  not  as  Moses  which  put 
a  veil  over  his  face,  that  the  children  of  Israel  could  not 
steadfastly  look  to  the  end  of  that  which  is  abolished: 
but  their  minds  were  blinded :  for  until  this  day  remaineth 
the  same  veil  untaken  away  in  the  reading  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament ;  which  veil  is  done  away  in  Christ.  But  even  unto 
this  day,  when  Moses  is  read,  the  veil  is  upon  their 
heart".  *. 


•  Epist.  Corinth.  II.  ch.  3.  Here  is  this  remarkable  passage  of 
Saint  Paul  in  its  Hellenistic  text,  with  an  interlinear  interpretation  in 
Latin. 

'AXX'    T)   lKai>6Ti}t   Tinwv   IK   TOU   6eoO,    it   Kal  iKdvwrev  ^/xaj    Siaic&rovt   Kairijt 
Sed  sufflcientia  nostra  ex  Deo,  qui  et  idoneos  fecit  nos  ministros  novi 

5ia#7)K77i  ;     06    -ypa/iyudTo* ,    dXXd    irvftftaros t\ovrtt    o$r    Totai/rijv    {\wlda, 

testament!;  non  litterae,  sed  spiritus habentes  igitur  talem  spem, 

iroXXi)    irap'pfffla.    \pwfie8a  :    Kal    ov    Ka.06.irep    Mwuffijj,    IrlOtL    Kd\VfJLfia    tirl    T&    irpo- 

multa  libertate  utimur:  et  non  sicut  Moyses,  ponebot  velamen  super  fa- 
flducia 


14  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Saint  Augustine,  examining  the  question  of  the  crea- 
tion in  his  book  of  Genesis,  against  the  Manichaeans,  ex- 
presses himself  thus :  "It  is  said :  in  principle,  God  made 
heaven  and  earth;  not  that  this  was  in  effect,  but  because 
this  was  in  power  of  being;  for  it  is  written  that  heaven 
was  made  afterward.  It  is  thus,  that  considering  the  seed 
of  a  tree,  we  say  that  it  has  there  the  roots,  trunk, 
branches,  fruit  and  leaves;  not  that  all  these  things  are 
formally  there,  but  virtually,  and  destined  to  be  brought 
forth.  Just  as  it  is  said,  in  principle  God  made  heaven  and 
earth;  that  is  to  say,  the  seed  of  heaven  and  earth ;  since  the 
matter  of  heaven  and  earth  was  then  in  a  state  of  con- 
fusion. Now,  as  it  is  certain  that  from  this  matter  the 
heaven  and  the  earth  must  be  brought  forth,  that  is  why 
this  matter  was  already  called  potentially  the  heaven  and 
the  earth"  ....** 

It  seems  to  me  difficult  to  add  anything  more  to  texts 
so  concise.  I  refrain  from  all  commentary  upon  that  of 
Saint  Paul;  my  design  moreover  not  being,  as  I  have  said, 


awirov    eavrov    irpbt    rb   pi)    drevurai    Toif   viovs    'I<rpar;X    elt    rl>   rf\ot    TOW    Karap- 

ciem    suam    ad    non     intueri     filios     Israel     in     finem    hujus     abro 

mysterium 


yov/dvov.     'AXX'    erup&dii    rd    voijjtara    aiirlav  ;    &xpi    <yip    rfy  <rjfiepoi>  rb    ai/rd 
gati.    Sed  obduruerunt  cogitationes  eorum;  usque  enim  hodie  id  ipsum 


tvl   rjj    &vayv{!>a-etTTJt   iraXeuai   Sia^/cijt    /j^ftt  ^    dvaKa\virT6fjxyoi>l   6  ri 
velamen  super  lectionem  veteris  testamenti  manet  non  revelatum,  quod 


tv  JLpurQ    Karapyelrai.     'AXX'    fut  irjuepor  ^vlta  AvayivAffKerai  'M.wvffijt, 

in  Christo  abrogatur.     Sed  donee  hodie,  cum  legitur  Moyses,  velamen 

M    r))v   KapSlav   avruv    Keirai  ____ 

super  cor  eorum  positum  est  ____ 

**  I  give  the  text  itself  of  Saint  Augustine  so  that  it  may  be  com- 
pared with  my  translation. 

"Dictum  est:  In  principle  fecit  Deus  ccelum  et  terram;  non  quia 
Jam  hoc  erat,  sed  quia  hoc  esse  poterat:  nam  et  coelum  scribitur  postea 
factum.  Quemadmodum  si  semen  arboris  considerantes,  dicamus  ibi 
esse  radices,  et  robur,  et  ramos,  et  fructus,  et  folia,  non  quia  jam  sunt, 
sed  quia  inde  futura  sunt.  Sic  dictum  est:  in  principle  fecit  Deus 
coelum  et  terram,  quasi  semen  cceli  et  terrae,  cum  in  confuso  adhuc 
esset  cffili  et  terrae  materia:  sed  quia  certum  erat  inde  futurum  esse 
coelum  et  terram,  jam  et  ipsa  materia,  coelum  et  terra  appellata  est. 
(L.  I.  c.  3  num.  11.) 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  15 

to  enter  into  discussion  with  the  theologians.  But  I  be- 
lieve it  necessary  to  say  that  Saint  Augustine,  still  quite 
young  when  he  composed  his  books  of  Genesis  against  the 
Manichaeans,  and  when  he  might  have  been  accused  of 
being  carried  away  by  flights  of  his  imagination,  was  so 
far  from  repudiating  afterward  the  opinion  that  I  have 
just  quoted,  that,  recalling  it  in  the  confessions  of  his  old 
age,  he  still  regarded  it  as  a  divine  inspiration;  "Is  it  not 
Thou,  O  Lord,  who  hast  taught  me,  that  before  fashioning 
this  unformed  matter  and  distinguishing  its  parts,  it  was 
nothing  in  particular,  no  colour,  no  form,  neither  body  nor 
spirit?  ..." 

And  further  on :  "If  I  confess,  O  Lord,  both  by  tongue 
and  pen,  what  Thou  hast  taught  me  concerning  this  mat- 
ter ...  what  Thou  hast  revealed  to  me  upon  this  difficult 
question  .  .  .  my  heart  ceases  not  to  render  homage  to 
Thee  for  this,  and  to  offer  up  its  hymns  of  praise  for  the 
things  that  it  knows  not  how  to  express." 

But  this  is  sufficient  for  the  judicious  men  of  whom  I 
speak ;  the  others  will  not  be  wanting  in  reasons  for  per- 
verting the  truth  of  the  text  of  Saint  Paul  and  for  invali- 
dating what  Saint  Augustine  said.  Let  them  guard  care- 
fully without  ever  opening  the  mysterious  coffer  which 
has  been  confided  to  them;  but,  since  this  coffer,  through 
the  irresistible  progress  of  things,  has  become  the  patri- 
mony of  a  multitude  of  persons  of  every  nation  and  every 
cult,  let  them  at  least  permit  those  among  them  who,  far 
from  the  service  of  altars,  devote  themselves  to  the  study 
of  the  sciences  and  strive  to  draw  from  it  new  principles 
and  learning  which  may  be  used  for  the  advancement  of 
knowledge  and  the  welfare  of  humanity.  The  times  now 
are  no  longer  those  in  which  the  simplest  truths  could  not 
be  shown  without  veils.  Natural  philosophy  and  mathe- 
matics have  made  such  great  strides,  and  have  in  such  a 
manner,  uncovered  the  secret  resources  of  the  Universe, 
that  it  is  no  longer  allowable  for  moral  and  metaphysical 
sciences  to  drag  after  them  the  cradle  blankets  of  infancy. 
It  is  necessary  that  the  harmony  which  has  been  inter- 


16  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

rupted  between  these  two  principal  branches  of  human  un- 
derstanding be  reestablished.  This  is  what  the  savants,  or- 
dained to  know  nature  in  its  double  sanctuary,  must  en- 
deavour to  do  with  necessary  prudence  and  precaution; 
for  every  divulgation  has  limits  that  one  must  know  how 
to  respect. 

So  much  for  the  two  difficulties  of  which  I  have  spoken 
at  the  beginning  of  this  Discourse.  Both  are  dispelled  be- 
fore what  I  have  just  said :  first,  because  minds  long  since 
open  to  the  light  of  reason,  furnish  no  more  food  for  re- 
ligious conflagrations ;  afterward,  because  the  rays  of  truth 
purified  today  by  the  prism  of  science,  enlighten  the  souls 
and  burn  them  no  more.  Moreover,  the  form  that  I  have 
given  my  work  and  the  scientific  staging  with  which  I  have 
been  forced  to  surround  it,  will  hinder  its  popularity. 

This  staging  is  immense.  The  reader  has  already  seen 
it  in  the  first  part :  that  is  to  say,  the  radical  Vocabulary 
where  all  the  Hebraic  roots  explain  themselves  readily; 
the  Grammar  whose  principles  are  attached  to  those  of 
speech,  and  an  Introductory  Dissertation  wherein  I  have 
explained  my  thought  upon  the  origin  of  Hebrew,  upon 
that  of  the  Sepher,  upon  the  divers  revolutions  experienced 
by  this  book,  and  upon  the  versions  which  have  been  made 
of  it,  particularly  that  of  the  Hellenists,  vulgarly  called 
Septuagint*. 

In  the  second  part  is  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses.  Now 
what  I  call  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses  is  included  in  the  first 
ten  chapters  of  the  Berceshith,  the  first  of  the  five  books  of 
the  Sepher.  These  ten  chapters  form  a  kind  of  sacred  de- 
cade in  which  each  of  the  ten  chapters  bears  the  character 
of  its  number  as  I  shall  show.  It  has  been  assumed  that 
the  divisions  of  the  Sepher,  in  books,  as  well  as  in  chapters 
and  verses,  were  the  work  of  Esdras.  I  do  not  think  so. 
These  ten  chapters  which  contain  the  whole,  and  whose 


*  There  "will  be  found  here  several  phrases  already  Inserted  In  the 
prospectus  of  this  work;   but  these  repetitions  were  unavoidable. 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  17 

number  indicates  the  summary,  prove  to  me  that  the 
Science  of  Numbers  was  cultivated  long  before  Pythagoras, 
and  that  Moses  having  learned  it  from  the  Egyptians,  used 
it  in  the  division  of  his  work. 

The  entire  Cosmogony,  that  is  to  say,  the  origin  of  the 
Universe,  that  of  the  beings,  from  the  elementary  principle 
to  man,  their  principal  vicissitudes,  the  general  history  of 
the  earth  and  its  inhabitants,  is  contained  in  these  ten 
chapters.  I  have  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  translate 
further;  inasmuch  as  this  suffices  to  prove  all  that  I  have 
advanced  and  nothing  prevents  anyone  from  applying  my 
grammatical  principles  and  continuing  the  exploration  of 
the  Sepher. 

The  Hebraic  text  which  I  quote  is  that  contained  in 
the  Polyglot  of  Paris.  I  have  scrupulously  preserved  all 
the  characters  without  altering  any  under  pretext  of  re- 
forming it.  I  have  likewise  preserved  of  the  Chaldaic 
punctuation,  all  that  has  appeared  to  me  necessary  for 
the  reading  of  the  text  or  required  by  grammatical  rules; 
I  have  suppressed  only  the  Masoretic  minutiae  and  the 
musical  notes,  called  improperly  accents,  of  which  I  have 
said  often  in  my  Grammar,  that  I  regarded  its  usage  as 
absolutely  foreign  to  the  sense,  and  useful  only  for  the 
Jews  of  the  synagogue  who  wish  to  continue  singing 
psalms  in  a  tongue  lost  for  twenty-five  centuries. 

I  have  considered  this  text  as  correct,  and  I  have 
avoided  the  paradoxical  spirit  of  those  who  have  claimed 
that  the  Jews  had  designedly  falsified  their  Scriptures. 
I  know  that  among  the  Fathers  who  have  sustained  this 
paradox,  are  cited  Saint  Justin  Martyr,  Saint  Irenus,  Ter- 
tullian  and  others:  but  besides  the  fact  that  these  Fathers 
always  mean  by  the  Hebrew  text  which  they  disparage,  the 
Greek  version  of  Aquila,  or  that  of  Symmachus,  versions 
made  in  opposition  to  that  of  the  Septuagint,  it  is  unfortu- 
nate that  they  did  not  know  a  word  of  Hebrew.  For,  how 
can  persons  who  do  not  know  a  tongue  say  that  a  book 
written  in  this  tongue,  an  original,  is  not  worth  the  trans- 
lation which  has  been  made  of  it?  In  order  to  sustain  such 


18  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

an  assertion,  they  must  quote  the  falsified  passages  and 
prove  that  its  words,  that  its  style,  are  obviously  altered. 
This  is  what  they  were  incapable  of  doing. 

When  one  knows  with  what  religious  care,  with  what 
scruples,  with  what  excess  of  attention  the  Jews  copy  the 
sacred  text  of  the  Sepher,  and  preserve  it,  such  ideas  can- 
not be  admitted.  One  can  see  in  Maimonides,  what  the 
prescribed  rules  are  in  this  respect.  They  are  such  that  it 
is  impossible  that  the  least  error,  that  the  least  oversight, 
can  ever  creep  into  the  manuscripts  destined  for  the  use  of 
the  synagogues.  Those  who  have  not  seen  these  manu- 
scripts can  have  no  idea  what  patience  assisted  by  religious 
zeal  can  accomplish.  Father  Morin  and  Vossius,  who  have 
adopted  the  paradox  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church,  prove 
by  that,  to  what  point  prejudice  can  obscure  knowledge 
and  render  it  vain.  If  the  original  text  offers  certain  er- 
rors, they  are  slight,  and  are  always  anterior  to  Esdras,  or 
at  least  to  the  Septuagint  version.  It  is  true  that  the 
manuscripts  of  the  synagogues  are  without  any  kind  of 
vowel  points  or  accents;  but,  as  I  have  repeated  often 
enough,  the  meaning  never  depends  upon  these  points.  The 
meaning  depends  upon  the  root,  upon  the  sign  which  rules 
it  and  upon  the  place  that  the  word  occupies. 

It  is  always  necessary,  before  determining  the  signi- 
fication of  any  Hebrew  word  whatsoever,  to  interrogate 
the  primitive  meaning  of  the  root,  which  is  easy  if  it  is  a 
simple  root;  if  the  word  is  compound,  it  is  necessary  to 
refrain  from  any  interpretation  before  having  made  the 
grammatical  analysis  according  to  the  rules  that  I  have 
given  and  upon  which  the  use  of  my  notes  will  shed  much 
light.  The  primitive  meaning  of  the  root  being  always 
generic,  it  must  first  be  modified  by  the  sign,  or  signs,  by 
which  this  same  root  may  be  accompanied  and  never  par- 
ticularized, according  to  the  advice  of  the  wise  Maimon- 
ides, without  long  meditation  upon  the  subject  of  which  it 
treats,  upon  the  occasion  which  brings  about  the  expres- 
sion, upon  the  thought  of  the  writer,  upon  the  movement 
of  the  style,  literal  or  figurative  and  upon  all  the  circum- 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  19 

stances  which,  among  a  great  number  of  significations,  in- 
cline the  word  to  one  rather  than  to  another.  The  useful- 
ness of  the  vowel  points  is  limited  to  giving  the  vulgar  pro- 
nunciation of  the  word  and  determining  its  grammatical 
forms  whether  as  noun,  verb  or  relation. 

I  have  transcribed  the  original  text  in  English  char- 
acters to  facilitate  the  reading  for  persons  little  familiar 
with  the  Hebraic  characters ;  I  have  tried,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble in  this  transcription  to  reconcile  the  primitive  ortho- 
graphy with  the  Chaldaic  punctuation.  I  have,  for  that 
reason,  given  carefully  and  in  conformity  with  the  com- 
parative Alphabet  inserted  in  my  grammar,  the  value  of 
the  consonants;  I  have  indicated  the  presence  of  the  tirst 
four  mother  vowels  N>  1, 1/  X  by  a  circumflex  accent  on  the 
corresponding  vowels  a,  ou,  6,  i;  and  those  of  the  other 
three  JT  IT  V>  by  the  aspiration  h,  h  and  h.  When  the 
mother  vowels  I/  '/  y,  have  appeared  to  be  consonants  I 
have  expressed  them  by  10,  j  and  gh,  or  wh.  I  have  indi- 
cated the  vague  vowel  of  the  Chaldaic  punctuation  by 
the  corresponding  English  vowels  without  accent.  When 
I  have  found  a  vague  vowel  opposing  a  mother  vowel,  I 
have  amalgamated  them,  forming  thereby  a  sort  of  diph- 
thong a,  os  di,  ao,  etc. 

It  has  seemed  to  me  advisable  before  giving  the  cor- 
rect translation  of  the  Hebraic  text,  to  approach  as  near 
as  possible  by  a  literal  word-for-word,  which  would  make 
my  readers  understand  the  exact  value  of  each  term  of  the 
original  with  its  grammatical  forms,  according  to  the 
tongue  of  Moses.  This  was  very  difficult  because  of  the 
signification  of  the  words,  which,  nearly  always  meta- 
phorical, and  not  being  found  contained  in  modern  tongues 
in  simple  and  analogous  terms,  requires  a  periphrasis. 
The  Asiatic  tongues,  in  general  and  particularly  Hebrew, 
cannot  be  paralleled  word-for-word  with  European 
tongues,  and  this  is  easy  to  conceive;  for,  in  a  word-for- 
word  translation  it  would  be  necessary  that  the  same 
literal  ideas  should  be  developed,  the  same  ideas  re- 


20  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

presented,  or  that  the  same  universal  ideas  should  have 
sprung  from  the  same  particular  ideas;  which  is  impos- 
sible in  tongues  so  opposed,  so  diverse,  spoken  by  peoples 
so  different,  so  distant  from  one  another  in  times  and 
customs. 

In  order  to  obviate  this  difficulty  as  much  as  possible, 
I  resolved  to  compose  two  literal  versions,  the  one  French 
and  the  other  English;  so  that  the  word-for-word  of  the 
one,  throwing  light  upon  the  word-for-word  of  the  other, 
they  are  mutually  sustained  and  together  lead  the  reader 
to  the  desired  end.  I  have  chosen  from  among  all  the 
European  tongues,  the  English  tongue,  as  one  of  the  most 
simple  and  the  one  whose  grammar  less  rigid,  allows  me 
more  facility  in  the  construction.  I  believe  I  have  no  need 
of  saying  that  one  must  not  seek  for  elegance  or  gram- 
matical purism  in  these  two  versions  where  I  have  purpose- 
ly taken  the  greatest  license. 

I  have  supported  these  two  versions  with  numerous 
notes,  in  which,  applying  the  principles  developed  in  my 
Grammar,  I  have  proved  the  signification  given  to  each 
word  of  the  original  text,  in  the  strongest  manner,  taking 
one  by  one,  each  of  these  words,  I  have  analyzed  it  by  its 
root,  reduced  it  to  its  elementary  principles,  modified  it  by 
the  sign,  decomposed,  recomposed  and,  every  time  it  has 
been  necessary,  confronted  it  with  the  corresponding  word 
in  Samaritan,  Chaldaic,  Syriac,  Arabic,  Ethiopic  even, 
and  Greek. 

Thus  I  have  prepared  the  correct  translation  of  the 
Cosmogony  of  Moses  with  which  I  terminate  this  work.  I 
venture  to  believe  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  prepare  this 
result  bj  means  more  fitting  to  demonstrate  its  truth,  to 
establish  it  upon  bases  more  solid,  or  to  attain  this  end 
after  efforts  more  sustained  and  less  subject  to  illusion. 

Therefore,  in  going  back  to  the  principles  of  Speech, 
and  finding  on  this  path  the  thought  of  Moses,  I  have  in- 
terpreted and  set  forth  in  suitable  language,  the  work  of 
this  great  man  whose  energetic  influence  exerting  itself 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE  21 

for  thirty-four  centuries  has,  under  sundry  names,  directed 
the  destiny  of  the  earth.  My  intention  having  been  stead- 
fastly sincere  I  trust  that  its  results  will  be  felicitous. 

Through  this  translation  which  I  give  of  the  Sepher, 
Moses  will  no  longer  be  the  stumbling-block  of  reason  and 
the  dismay  of  the  natural  sciences.  Those  shocking  con- 
tradictions, those  incoherencies,  those  ridiculous  pictures 
which  furnish  weapons  so  terrible  for  its  enemies  shall  be 
no  more  seen  in  his  Cosmogony.  Nor  shall  one  see  in  him, 
a  limited  man  attributing  to  the  Being  of  beings  the  nar- 
rowest views  and  passions,  refusing  his  immortality  to  man 
and  speaking  only  of  the  soul  which  passes  away  with  the 
blood ;  but  a  sage,  initiated  in  all  the  mysteries  of  Nature, 
uniting  to  the  positive  knowledge  which  he  has  imbibed  in 
the  sanctuaries  of  Thebes,  the  knowledge  of  his  own  in- 
spiration. If  the  naturalist  interrogates  it,  he  will  find  in 
his  work  the  accumulated  observations  of  a  sequence  of 
incalculable  centuries,  and  all  the  natural  philosophy  of 
the  Egyptians  summed  up  in  a  few  words :  he  will  be  able 
to  compare  this  imposing  natural  philosophy  with  that  of 
the  moderns  and  judge  in  what  the  one  resembles,  sur- 
passes or  is  inferior  to  the  other.  The  metaphysician  will 
have  nothing  to  compare  with  it  since  real  metaphysics 
does  not  exist  among  us.  But  it  is  the  philosopher  espe- 
cially who  will  discover  in  this  book  analogies  worthy  of 
his  curiosity.  If  he  desires  it,  this  book  will  become  in 
his  hands  a  veritable  criterion,  a  touchstone,  by  means  of 
which  he  will  be  able  to  recognize,  in  any  system  of  philoso- 
phy whatsoever,  the  truth  or  error  it  contains.  He  will 
find  there  finally,  what  the  philosophers  have  thought  most 
just  or  most  sublime  from  Thales  and  Pythagoras,  to  New- 
ton and  Kant.  My  notes  will  furnish  him  with  much  data 
in  this  respect. 

Besides  I  have  had  constantly  before  me,  during  the 
long  composition  of  these  notes,  the  four  original  versions : 
that  of  the  Samaritans,  the  Chaldaic  targums,  the  Hellen- 
istic version  called  the  Septuagint,  and  the  Latin  Vulgate 
of  Saint  Jerome.  I  have  quoted  them  when  it  has  been  nee- 


22  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

essary.  I  have  paid  little  attention  to  other  versions;  for 
it  is  proved,  for  example,  that  the  Syriac  version,  made 
from  that  of  the  Hellenists  and  which  agrees  with  the 
Greek  whilst  the  latter  differs  materially  from  the  Hebrew, 
has  been  the  text  for  the  Arabic  version ;  so  that  neither 
has  authority.  But  it  is  useless  to  return  incessantly  to 
things  that  have  been  sufficiently  explained. 


Cosmogony  of  Moses 


24  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

SEPHER  BER^SHITH          *^    fl^K^S    1SD 
A. 


1.     BER^SHITH  barrio-     . 
him  aeth-ha-shamaim  w'seth- 
ha-aretz. 


v.  1.    JVEX"G     At-first-in-principle In  these  notes,  it  is  not  my 

Intention  either  to  examine  or  discuss  the  opinions  which  the  savants 
of  past  centuries,  Jews  or  Christians,  have  put  forth  upon  the  hidden 
meaning  of  this  word  or  of  those  which  follow.  It  would  be  a  task  quite 
as  long  as  tedious.  I  shall  explain,  but  I  shall  not  comment;  for  this 
is  not  a  system  that  I  am  establishing  upon  conjectures  or  probabilities 
more  or  less  happy,  but  the  tongue  itself  of  Moses,  that  I  am  inter- 
preting according  to  its  constitutive  principles. 

Therefore,  setting  aside  the  sundry  interpretations  good  or  bad, 
which  have  been  given  to  the  word  rHZNTQ,  I  shall  say  that  this 
word,  in  the  position  which  it  occupies,  offers  three  distinct  mean- 
ings: the  literal,  the  figurative,  and  the  hieroglyphic.  Moses  has  used 
all  three,  as  is  proved  in  the  course  of  his  work.  He  has  followed  in 
this,  the  method  of  the  Egyptian  priests:  for  these  priests  had  three 
ways  of  expressing  their  thought.  The  first  "was  clear  and  simple, 
the  second,  symbolic  and  figurative,  the  third  sacred  or  hieroglyphic. 
They  made  use  of  three  kinds  of  characters,  but  not  of  three  dialects, 
as  might  be  imagined.  The  same  word  took  at  their  pleasure,  the 
literal,  figurative  or  hieroglyphic  sense.  Such  was  the  genius  of 
their  tongue.  Heraclitus  has  expressed  perfectly  the  difference  of  these 
three  styles,  in  designating  them  by  the  epithets,  spoken,  significant 
and  hidden.  The  first  two  ways,  that  is  to  say,  those  which  consisted 
of  taking  words  in  the  literal  or  the  figurative  sense,  were  spoken; 
but  the  third,  which  could  only  receive  its  hieroglyphic  form  by  means 
of  the  characters  of  which  the  "words  were  composed,  existed  only  for 
the  eyes,  and  was  used  only  in  writing.  Our  modern  tongues  are 
entirely  incapable  of  making  this  distinction.  Moses,  initiated  in  all 
the  mysteries  of  the  Egyptian  priesthood,  made  use  of  these  three 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  25 

GENESIS  1.  COSMOGONTE     1. 


1.    AT-FIRST-IN-PRINCIPLE,        L  PREMIEREMENT  -  EN  - 

he  -created,    zElohim     (he  PRINCIPE  n  Cr6     ^lohlm  (il 
caused    to    be,    he    brought 

forth   in   principle,   HE-the-  ^termma  en  existence  po- 

Gods,     the-Being-of-beings),  tentielle,  LUi-les-Dieux,  1'fit- 

the-selfsameness-of-heavens,  re-des-etres),       Tips^ite-des- 

and  -  the  -  selfsameness  -  of  -  cieux  et-l'ips6it6-de-la-terre. 
earth. 


ways  with  unbounded  skill;  his  phrase  is  almost  invariably  constituted 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  present  three  meanings:  this  is  why  no  kind 
of  word-for-word  can  render  his  thought.  I  have  adhered  as  much  as 
possible  to  expressing  the  literal  and  figurative  sense  together.  As  to 
the  hieroglyphic,  it  would  often  be  too  dangerous  to  give  it;  but  I 
have  made  every  effort  to  furnish  the  means  of  attaining  it,  by  stating 
its  principles  and  by  giving  examples. 

The  word  P"E?X")2,  which  is  here  in  question,  is  a  modiflcative 
noun  formed  from  the  substantive  EX1,  the  head,  the  chief,  the  acting 
principle,  inflected  by  the  mediative  article  D,  and  modified  by  the 
designative  ending  IT1.  It  signifies  literally,  in  the  beginning,  before 
all;  but  figuratively  in  principle,  in  power  of  being. 

Thus  one  can  deduce  the  hieroglyphic  sense.  What  I  am  about 
to  say  will  serve  as  example  for  what  follows.  The  word  EN"),  from 
which  is  formed  the  modificative  rnEXID,  signifies  indeed  head;  but 
only  in  a  restricted  and  particular  sense.  In  a  broader  and  more 
generic  sense,  it  signifies  principle.  Now,  what  is  a  principle?  I 
shall  state  in  what  manner  the  earliest  authors  of  the  word  EX"), 
conceived  it.  They  conceived  a  sort  of  absolute  power,  by  means  of 
which  every  relative  being  is  constituted  such;  they  expressed  their 
idea  by  the  potential  sign  X,  and  the  relative  sign  E,  united.  In 
hieroglyphic  writing  it  was  a  point  at  the  centre  of  a  circle.  The 
central  point  unfolding  the  circumference,  was  the  image  of  every 
principle.  The  literal  writing  rendered  the  point  by  X,  and  the 
circle  by  D  or  U.  The  letter  D  represented  the  sentient  circle,  the 
letter  ID  the  intelligible  circle  which  was  depicted  winged  or  sur- 
rounded with  flames. 


26  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

2.   wha-ftretz     haithah   rrn  irbi  inn  nn»n 


/Elohim    merahepheth    hal- 
phenei  ha-malm. 


A  principle  thus  conceived  was,  in  an  universal  sense,  applicable 
to  all  things,  both  physical  and  metaphysical;  but  in  a  more  restricted 
sense  it  was  applied  to  elementary  fire;  and  according  as  the  radical 
word  £X  was  taken  literally  or  figuratively,  it  signified  fire,  sentient 
or  intelligible,  that  of  matter,  or  that  of  spirit. 

Next,  taking  this  same  word  EX,  whose  origin  I  am  about  to  ex- 
plain, it  was  made  to  govern  by  the  sign  of  proper  and  determining 
movement  "),  and  the  compound  word  EX")  was  obtained;  that  is  to 
say,  in  hieroglyphic  language,  every  principle  enjoying  a  proper  and 
determining  movement,  and  of  a  force  innately  good  or  bad.  This  letter 
"1  Is  rendered  in  sacred  writing  by  the  image  of  a  serpent,  upright 
or  crossing  the  circle  through  the  centre.  In  the  common  language 
one  saw  in  the  word  EX1 ,  a  chief,  a  guide,  the  head  of  such  a  being, 
of  such  a  thing,  whatever  it  might  be:  in  the  figurative  language,  is 
understood  the  prlmum  mobile,  an  acting  principle,  a  good  or  evil 
genius,  a  right  or  perverse  will,  a  demon,  etc;  in  the  hieroglyphic 
language,  it  signalized  the  universal,  principiant  principle,  the  knowl- 
edge of  which  it  was  not  permitted  to  divulge. 

These  are  the  three  significations  of  the  word  EX"),  which  serves 
as  basis  for  the  modificative  ITEX12.  It  is  obvious  that  it  would 
be  impossible  for  me  to  enter  into  similar  details  concerning  all  the 
words  which  are  to  follow.  I  could  not  do  it  without  going  beyond 
the  limits  of  prudence.  But  I  shall  endeavour,  in  amalgamating  the 
three  significations,  to  give  the  intelligent  reader  all  the  facilities  that 
he  could  desire. 

Here  are  the  four  original  versions  of  this  important  word.  The 
Samaritan  version  reads  ^f(V^^J?3  that  is  to  say,  in  substantiality, 
in  corporeity,  in  the  beginning.  The  Chaldaic  targum  reads  ^"Ip, 
which  can  be  translated,  in  the  culminating  point  of  the  universal 
assimilations;  in  the  anteriority  of  times.  The  Hellenists  translate 
'Ex  &PXi),  and  the  Latins,  "in  principle."  The  former  is  more  akin  to  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  27 

2.  And-the-earth  was  con-  2.     Et-la-terre  e  x  i  s  t  a  i  t 

tingent-potentiality  in-a-po-  puissance-contingente-d'£tre 

tentiality  -  of  -  being :    and  -  dans-une-puissance-d'6tre :  et 

darkness  ( hard-making-pow-  -1'obscurite   (force  compres- 

ep)-was     on-the-face    of-the  "^    f     durcissante)-etait 

,        ,.  .,       ,             ,.  sur-la-face  de  1'abime  (puis- 

deep  (fathomless-contingent-  ^  univergelle  et  COQ£ 

potentiality  of  being)  ;  and-  ente  d,fitre)  .  et.le.souffle  de. 
the-breath  of-HiM-the-Gods  LUI.ies-Dieux  (force  expan- 
(a  light-raaking-power)  was-  sive  et  dilatante)  £tait-gem>- 
pregnantly-moving  upon-the-  rativement-mouvant  sur-la- 
face  of-the-waters  (universal  face  des-eaux  (passivite  uni- 
passi  veness ) .  verselle ) . 


Samaritan,  and  the  latter  to  the  Chaldaic.  Which  is  natural,  for,  as 
I  have  said,  the  Hellenists  consulted  frequently  the  Samaritan  version, 
while  Saint  Jerome  and  the  rabbis  of  Tiberias  adhered  to  the  targumg. 

X1D,  he  created It  would  be  not  only  long  but  useless  to  dwell 

upon  the  numerous  disputes  concerning  this  word;  they  are  all  re- 
duced to  this,  namely,  whether  the  verb  XTlD  signifies  to  make  some- 
thing from  nothing,  or  simply,  to  make  something  from  something. 
The  rabbis  of  the  synagogue  and  the  doctors  of  the  church,  have  indeed 
proved  by  these  wordy  struggles,  that  not  any  of  them  understood  the 
tongue  over  which  they  disputed:  for  otherwise  they  would  have  seen 
that  they  were  very  far  from  the  point  of  the  question.  I  have  already 
had  occasion  to  bring  out  the  true  etymology  of  this  famous  verb,  and  I 
have  proved  that  it  signified,  to  draw  from  an  unknown  element;  to 
make  pass  from  the  principle  to  the  essence;  to  render  same  that 
which  was  other,  etc.,  as  can  be  seen  in  chapter  VII  of  my  Grammar. 
I  have  derived  it  from  the  sign  of  movement  proper  "1,  united  to  that 
of  interior  action  2.  The  Arabs  have  translated  it  byjii-,  whose  root 
Ji.  signifies  a  thing  rare  and  tenuous,  a  thing  without  form  and  with- 
out consistency,  a  void,  a  nothingness.  The  Greeks  have  rendered  it 
by  iirolT)ffev,  he  made,  and  the  Latins  by  "creavit,"  he  created.  This 
last  expression,  clearly  understood,  is  not  far  from  the  Hebrew,  for  It 
comes  from  the  same  elementary  root  IX,  raised  from  the  sign  of 
movement  proper  1.  It  is  the  word  "re,"  indicating  the  thing,  by 
means  of  which  one  acts,  which  is  governed  by  the  assimilative  sign 
3  used  very  extensively  by  the  Etruscans.  This  word,  having  become 


28  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTORED 

3.      Wa-iaomer    vElohim     "'Jin    7JK-»n»    D'Pftg 
iehi-aor,   wa-iehi-a6r. 


the  verb  c-re-are,  takes  in  this  new  state,  a  sense  which  can  only  be 
rended  exactly  by  coining  the  verb  to  thing.  The  Samaritans  have 
expressed  the  Hebrew  by  )i^J2^ wnich  signifies  literally  to  render 
dense  and  compact;  as  is  proved  by  the  Chaldaic  2^13.  The  targum 
has  preserved  the  primitive  word  N"lD. 

DT&X,  Mlohim This  is  the  plural  of  the  word   ri^N ,  the  name 

given  to  the  Supreme  Being  by  the  Hebrews  and  the  Chaldeans,  and 
being  itself  derived  from  the  root  bx ,  which  depicts  elevation,  strength 
and  expansive  power;  signifiying  in  an  universal  sense,  GOD.  It  is  a 
very  singular  observation  that  this  last  word  applied  to  the  Most 
High,  is  however,  in  its  abstract  sense  only  the  relative  pronoun  he 
employed  in  an  absolute  manner.  Nearly  all  of  the  Asiatic  peoples 
have  used  this  bold  metaphor.  NM  (hoa),  that  is  to  say,  HE,  is  in 
Hebrew,  Chaldaic,  Syriac,  Ethiopic  and  Arabic,  one  of  the  sacred  names 
of  the  Divinity;  it  is  evident  that  the  Persian  word  |jb-  (Goda),  GOD, 
which  is  found  in  all  the  tongues  of  the  North,  is  derived  also  from 
the  absolute  pronoun  J_ji  ,  HiM-self.  It  is  known  that  the  Greek 
philosophers  and  Plato  particularly,  designated  the  Intelligent  Cause 
of  the  Universe  in  no  other  way  than  by  the  absolute  pronoun  r&  Ai/r6. 

However  that  may  be,  the  Hebraic  name  JElohim  has  been  ob- 
viously composed  of  the  pronoun  bx  and  the  absolute  verb  nil, 
to  be-being,  of  which  I  have  spoken  at  length  in  my  Grammar.  It 
is  from  the  inmost  root  of  this  verb  that  the  Divine  Name  IT  (Yah) 
is  formed,  the  literal  meaning  of  which  is  Absolute-Life.  The  verb 
itself,  united  to  the  pronoun  bx,  produces  rrftx  (Mloah),  that-nE 
who-is,  the  plural  of  which  ^lohim,  signifies  exactly  KE-they-who- 
ABE:  the  Being  of  beings. 

The  Samaritan  says  *5>(n[2fV  (Alajl*)>  whose  root  Vs  is  found  still 
in  the  Arabic  <jj|  (Allah),  and  in  the  Syriac  \<^\\  (3Eloha).  The 
Chaldaic  alone  departs  from  this  root  and  translates  *'"'  (lait),  the 
Eternity-of -eternities,  which  it  also  applies  to  the  Ineffable  Name 
of  GOD,  nirr  (Ihoah),  of  which  I  shall  speak  further  on;  also  of  the 
words  D"tttf,  the  heavens,  and  iN,  the  earth. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  29 

3.    And-he-said  (declaring  3.     Et-il-dit  (declarant  sa 

his    will),    HE-the-Being-of-  volentS),    L  u  i-P£tre-des 

beings :  there-shall-be  light ;  etres :  sera-faite-lumiere ;  et- 

and-there-( shall  be) -became  (sera)-fut-faite  lumiere  (61- 

light  ( intellectual  elementiz-  6mentisation  intelligible), 
ing). 


v.  2.    1~21  Wl,  contingent-potentiality  in-a-potentiality-of-being 

If  one  examines  the  sense  of  the  four  original  versions,  a  great  difference 
is  found  between  what  they  say  and  what  I  say.  The  Samaritan  ver- 
sion reads  {ffftjffaft  ^tSA**  •  distended  to  incomprehensibility 
and  most  rare.  The  Chaldaic  targum  says  N*JpT!  X—j-X,  divided  to 
annihilation  and  vain.  The  Hellenists  translate  Mparot  ical  dKaTo<TKctatosi 
invisible  and  decomposed.  Saint  Jerome  understood  "inanis  et  vacua" 
unanimated  and  vague,  or  unformed  and  void.  The  error  into  which 
all  these  translators  have  fallen  depends  here  upon  a  prior  one  very 
slight  in  appearance,  but  whose  consequences  becoming  more  and 
more  complicated  pushes  them  into  an  abyss  from  which  nothing  can 
draw  them.  This  first  error  depends  upon  the  manner  in  which  they 
have  understood  the  first  word  of  the  Sepher,  the  famous  JVBX12 . 
This  word,  having  impressed  them  neither  in  its  figurative  nor  in  its 
hieroglyphic  sense,  has  involved  all  that  follows,  in  the  literal  and 
material  sense  that  they  have  given  to  it.  I  pray  the  reader  to  give 
strict  attention  to  this,  for  upon  this  depends  all  the  incoherences,  all 
the  absurdities  with  which  Moses  has  been  reproached.  In  fact,  if  the 
word  nTN12  signified  simply,  in  the  beginning,  in  the  beginning  of 
time,  as  it  was  said,  why  did  not  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  created  at 
that  epoch,  still  exist  at  that  time;  why  should  there  be  need  of  a  suc- 
cessive development;  why  should  they  have  rested  an  eternity  in  dark- 
ness; why  should  the  light  have  been  made  after  the  heavens  and  before 
the  sun;  can  one  conceive  the  heavens  without  light,  light  without  the 
sun,  an  earth  invisible,  inanimate,  vain,  formless,  if  it  is  material;  etc., 
etc.  But  what  can  remedy  all  this?  Absolutely  nothing  but  an  un- 
derstanding of  the  tongue  which  is  translated  and  seeing  that  rPUX12 
means  not  only  in  the  beginning,  iv  dp**}.  "iQ  principle,"  but  clearly 
in  principle;  that  is  to  say,  not  yet  in  action  but  in  power;  as  Saint 


30  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

4.     Wa-iara  ^Elohim  seth-     DID  »3  TiKH  n#  D'H1?^ 
ha-a6r  fchi  tob,  wa-iabeddel     ?t^ 
>iElohim  bein  ha-aor  w'bein 
ha-hosheijh. 


Augustine  interpreted  it.  This  is  the  thought  of  Moses,  profound  thought 
which  he  expresses  admirably  by  the  words  TCI  inn,  in  which  he  depicts 
with  masterhand  that  state  of  a  thing,  not  only  in  contingent  power 
of  being,  but  still  contained  in  another  power  of  being;  in  short, 
without  form,  in  germ  in  a  germ.  It  is  the  famous  xa(^J  °'  the  Greeks, 
that  chaos  which  the  vulgar  have  also  gradually  materialized  and 
whose  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  signification  I  could  very  easily  de- 
monstrate were  it  necessary. 

The  Hebraic  words  },"C1  Til"!  belong  to  those  words  which  the  sages 
create  in  learned  tongues  and  which  the  vulgar  do  not  comprehend. 
Let  us  now  examine  their  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense. 

We  know  that  the  sign  n  is  that  of  life.  We  have  seen  that  this 
sign  being  doubled,  formed  the  essentially  living  root  ~n,  which,  by 
the  insertion  of  the  luminous  sign,  became  the  verb  ~*n,  to  be-being. 
But  let  us  imagine  now  that,  wishing  to  express,  not  an  existence  in 
action,  but  only  in  power,  we  restrict  the  verbal  root  in  the  sole  sign 
of  life  and  extinguish  the  luminous  sign  *  to  bring  it  back  to  the 
convertible  1;  we  shall  have  only  a  compressed  root  wherein  the 
being  will  be  latent  and  as  It  were,  in  germ.  This  root  1,"i,  com- 
posed of  the  sign  of  life,  and  of  that  which,  as  we  know,  is  the  link 
between  nothingness  and  being,  expresses  marvelously  well  that  in- 
comprehensible state  of  a  thing  when  it  exists  no  more,  and  when  it 
is,  nevertheless,  in  power  of  existing.  It  is  found  in  the  Arabic  ^* 
in  which  it  depicts  a  desire,  a  tendency,  a  vague,  indeterminate  ex- 
istence. It  is  sometimes  an  unfathomable  depth,  0  «*  ;  sometimes  a 
sort  of  physical  death  ^^  ;  sometimes  an  ethereal  space  V^,  etc. 

Moses,  after  the  example  of  the  Egyptian  priests,  taking  this  root 
and  making  it  rule  by  the  sign  of  mutual  reciprocity  n,  formed  the 
word  irijn  by  means  of  which  he  expressed  a  contigent  and  potential 
existence  contained  in  another  potential  existence  *~D ;  for  here  he 
inflects  the  same  root  by  the  mediative  article  2. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  31 

4.     And-he-did-ken,       HE-  4.     Et-il-consid6ra,      LUI- 

the-Gods  that-light  as  good ;  les-Dieux,    c  e  1 1  e    lumiere 

and-he-made-a-division     (he  comme    bonne;    et-il-fit-une- 

caused  a  dividing  motion  to  solution    (il   d£termina   un 

exist)    HE-the-Gods,  betwixt  moyen   de  separation)    i.ui- 

the-light     (intellectual    ele-  les-Dieux,  entre  la-lumiere 

mentizing)  and-betwixt  the-  (elenientisation  intelligible) 

darkness  ( hard-making pow-  et   entre   Pobscurite    (force 

er).  compressive  et  durcissante). 


Thus,  there  is  no  need  of  conceiving  the  earth  invisible,  de- 
composed, vague,  void,  formless,  which  is  absurd  or  contradictory; 
but  only  as  existing  still  in  power,  in  another  seed-producing  power, 
which  must  be  developed  in  order  that  it  may  be  developed. 

*]E?n,  darkness This  word  is  composed  of  the  two  contracted 

roots  T]X~Cn  It  is  remarkable  in  its  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense. 
In  its  figurative  sense,  it  is  a  compressing,  hardening  movement;  in 
its  hieroglyphic,  it  is  a  combat,  a  violent  opposition  between  the  con- 
trary principles  of  heat  and  cold.  The  root  E?n  expresses  a  violent 
and  disordered  movement  caused  by  an  inner  ardour  which  seeks  to 
distend.  The  root  TjX  depicts  on  the  contrary,  a  sentiment  of  con- 
traction and  tightening  which  tends  to  centralize.  In  the  composition 
of  the  word  it  is  the  compressive  force  which  prevails  and  which  en- 
chains the  inner  ardour  forced  to  devour  itself.  Such  was  the  idea 
that  the  Egyptian  priests  formed  of  darkness. 

Cinn,   the  deep This   is  the   root  in    which   I   have  already 

analyzed,  modified  now  by  the  reciprocal  sign  n,  and  endowed  with 
the  collective  sign  C,  which  develops  its  power  in  infinite  space. 

nil,  the  breath....  It  is  figuratively,  a  movement  toward  ex- 
pansion, toward  dilation.  Hieroglyphically,  it  is  strength  opposed  to 
that  of  tenebrce.  And  if  the  word  TjEn  characterizes  a  compressive 
power,  a  compression,  the  word  nil  will  characterize  an  expansive 
power,  an  expansion.  In  both  will  be  found  this  eternal  system  of  two 
opposed  forces,  which  the  sages  and  savants  of  all  the  centuries,  from 
Parmenides  and  Pythagoras  to  Descartes  and  Newton,  have  seen  in 
Nature,  and  signalized  by  different  names. 


32  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


5.     Wa-lkera,  ^lohim  la-  T|t?n'?'l  D1»  TIN1?  D'H 

a6r  Idm,  w'la-hoshefch  kara  ^^^  ^r-I 

lailah,    wa-iehi    hereb,    wa-  1J?    •  -  3# 
iehi-boker,  I6m  sehad.  J  "1HN  Di» 


The  Hebraic  word  nV\  is  composed  of  the  sign  of  movement 
proper  "I,  united  to  that  of  elementary  existence  n,  by  the  universal, 
convertible  sign  1.  The  root  which  results  contains  all  ideas  of  ex- 
pansion and  exaltation,  of  ethereal  breath,  inspiration,  animation,  etc. 
It  is  found  in  the  Chaldaic  NT,  in  the  Syriac  ^»>  and  in  the  Arabic--  jj. 

nBrniS,  pregnantly-moving.  .  ,  .  Moses,  by  a  turn  of  phrase  fre- 
quently adopted  by  him,  uses  here,  to  express  the  action  of  the  breath, 
of  which  he  was  about  to  speak,  a  verb  which  is  derived  from  the 
same  root;  that  is  to  say,  which  is  always  attached  to  the  word  nil, 
and  which  depicts,  as  I  have  already  said,  an  expansive  and  quicken- 
ing movement.  The  sign  E  which  terminates  it  now,  adds  the  idea 
of  active  generation  of  which  it  is  the  hieroglyphic  symbol.  The  Sama- 
ritan makes  use  of  the  word  <qtA**4*J^J  whose  root  being  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Hebrew  EEJ,  gives  the  sense  of  agitating  with  a  vital 
movement,  of  animating.  Finally,  the  Hebraic  verb  Elm  is  the 
same  as  Dim,  with  the  sole  difference  of  the  character  5  being  sub- 
stituted for  the  character  2:  it  signifies,  to  dilate,  to  expand,  to  agitate 
proliftcallv.  The  Arabic  ^>.j  has  the  same  sense. 

See  Radical  Vocabulary  for  the  word    c-12,  root  C^ 


v.  3.  I^X-I,  And-he-said  ____  It  can  be  seen  by  the  etymology 
which  I  have  given  of  this  important  verb  in  chapter  VII  of  my  Gram- 
mar, that  it  signifies  not  only  to  say,  but  according  to  the  occasion, 
It  can  attain  a  signification  much  more  exalted.  Now,  is  this  occasion 
more  important  than  that  in  which  the  Being  of  beings  manifests  his 
creative  will?  To  understand  it  in  the  literal  sense  only,  is  to  degrade 
it,  and  is  detrimental  to  the  thought  of  the  writer.  As  the  judicious 
Maimonides  said,  it  is  necessary  to  spiritualize  the  sense  of  this  word 
and  to  guard  against  imagining  any  sort  of  speech.  It  is  an  act  of 
the  will  and  as  is  indicated  by  the  hieroglyphic  composition  of  the 
verb  "liEN,  a  power  which  declares,  manifests  and  reflects  itself  with- 
out, upon  the  being  which  it  enlightens. 

TiX,  light  ----  I  cannot  repeat  too  often  that  all  words  of  the 
Hebraic  tongue  are  formed  in  such  a  way  as  to  contain  within  them- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  33 

5.     A  n  d-he-assigned-for-  5.    Et-il-assigna-nom,  LUI- 

name,    HE-the-Gods,    to-the-  les-Dieux,  a-la-lumierejJowr 

light,  Day   (universal  man-  (manifestation    univer- 

ifestation)  ;  and-to-the-dark-  selle) ;  et-a-l'obscuritS  il-as- 

ness,     he-assigned-for-name,  signa-nom    Nuit    (negation 

Night    (naught   manifested,  manifested,   nutation   des 

all-knitting)  :  and-there-was  choses) ;  et-fut-occident,  et- 

west-eve;and-there-  was  east-  fut-orient    (liberation   et 

dawn     (over    and    back  iteration ) ;     Jour     premier 

again);     Day     the-first  (premiere  manifestation  ph6- 

( light's  first  manifestation ) .  nomenique) . 

selves  the  reason  of  their  formation.  Let  us  consider  the  word  TiK 
light:  it  is  derived  directly  from  the  word  11K  fire.  The  only  dif- 
ference between  them  is,  that  in  the  word  which  designates  fire,  It 
is  the  universal  convertible  sign  1  which  forms  the  link  between  the 
sign  of  power  X,  and  that  of  movement  proper  1 :  whereas  in  the 
second,  it  is  the  intelligible  sign  1.  Let  us  proceed  further.  If,  from 
the  words  "ilS  and  TiN ,  one  takes  away  the  median  sign  1  or  1 
there  will  remain  the  elementary  root  "!K,  composed  of  power  and 
movement,  which  in  all  known  tongues  signifies  by  turns,  earth, 
water,  air,  fire,  ether,  light,  according  to  the  sign  Joined  thereunto. 
See  also,  Radical  Vocab.  root  IN. 

•»m,  ana-there  (shall  be) -became I  must  not  neglect  to 

say,  that  Moses,  profiting  by  the  hieroglyphic  genius  of  the  Egyptian 
tongue,  changing  at  will  the  future  tense  into  past  tense,  depicts,  on 
this  occasion,  the  birth  of  light,  symbol  of  intelligible  corporeity,  with 
an  animation  that  no  modern  tongue  can  render  except  the  Chinese. 
He  writes  first  TIX-VT  there-shall-be  light;  then  repeating  the  same 
words  with  the  single  addition  of  the  convertible  sign  1,  he  turns 
suddenly  the  future  into  the  past,  as  if  the  effect  had  sustained  before- 
hand the  outburst  of  the  thought  nix—m  and  there-( shall  be) -became 
light. 

This  manner  of  speaking  figuratively  and  hieroglyphically,  always 
comes  from  the  primitive  meaning  given  to  the  word  JV'CX'Q :  for  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  created  in  principle,  and  passing  from  power 
into  action,  could  unfold  successively  their  virtual  forces  only  as  far 
as  the  divine  will  announced  in  the  future,  la  manifest  in  the  past. 


34  THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTOKED 

6.    Wa-iaomer      ^Elohim     Trim  1^151  >fT  D'ri^N 


malm  la-maim. 


The  Being  of  beings  knows  no  time.  The  Egyptian  tongue  is  the 
only  one  in  which  this  wonderful  trope  can  take  place  even  in  the 
spoken  tongue.  It  -was  a  spoken  effect  which,  from  the  hieroglyphic 
style  passed  into  the  figurative,  and  from  the  figurative  into  the  literal. 

v.  4.  XVI,  And-he-did-ken  ____  Moses  continues  to  make  the  Being 
of  beings,  the  universal  Creator,  speak  in  the  future,  by  turning  the 
expression  of  his  will  into  the  past  by  means  of  the  convertible  sign. 
The  verb  n*X1  which  is  used  by  Moses  on  this  occasion,  signifies  not 
only  to  see,  but  to  ken,  by  directing  voluntarily  the  visual  ray  upon 
an  object.  The  root  11  or  "1  composed  of  the  sign  of  movement  proper 
united  to  the  convertible,  or  to  that  of  manifestation,  develops  every 
idea  of  a  stroke,  ray,  or  trace,  of  anything  whatever,  being  directed 
in  a  straight  line.  It  is  joined  to  the  root  IN  or  "X  ,  expressing  the  goal, 
the  place,  the  object  toward  which  the  will  inclines,  there  where  it  is 
fixed,  and  forms  with  it  the  compound  *X1,  HX1  or  riiXI,  that  is  to 
say,  the  vision,  the  action  of  seeing  and  the  very  object  of  this  action. 


!,  and-he-made-a-division  ___  .  The  verb  b"h2  springs  from  the 
two  contracted  roots  bviD  .  By  the  first  12,  should  be  understood 
every  idea  of  individuality,  of  peculiarity,  of  isolation,  of  solitary 
existence:  by  the  second  bl,  every  kind  of  division,  of  opening,  of 
disjunction.  So  that  the  verb  here  alluded  to,  signifies  literally  the 
action  of  particularizing,  of  isolating  one  from  another,  of  making 
solution  of  things,  distinguishing  them,  separating  them,  etc.  Moses 
employs  it  here  according  to  the  intensive  form  to  give  it  more  force. 


v.  5.  Xlpl,  And-he-assigned-for-name  ----  This  verb  is  produced 
from  the  root  "ip  which  signifies  literally  a  character,  a  characteristic 
sign,  an  engraving. 

The  Samaritan  word  <P\7'*J  has  lost  the  early  expression  and 
signifies  only  to  cry  out,  to  emit  the  sound  of  the  voice. 

Di\  Day....  The  root  D*1  contains  every  idea  of  heap,  of  gather- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  35 

6.    And-he-said,     HE-the-  6.  Et-il-dit,  LUi-les-Dieux 

Gods,  there-shall-be  a-rare-  ii.sera-fait    une-rar6faction 

fying  (a  slackening,  loosen-  (       desserrement,  une  force 
ing  action)  m-the-centre  of- 

the-waters:   and-there-shall-  rarefiante)     au-centre    des- 

be     a-separating-cause     (a  eaux:   et-il-sera-fait  un-fai- 

lone-making  action)  betwixt  sant-separer  (un  movement 

the- waters      toward-the-wa-  de     separation)      entre-les- 

ters.  eaux  envers-les-eaux. 


ing,  of  pile;  it  is  in  this  relation  that  it  constitutes  the  masculine 
plural  of  Hebraic  nouns.  In  its  natural  state  it  provides,  by  restriction, 
the  name  of  the  sea,  and  denotes  then,  the  mass  of  waters,  the  piling 
of  the  waves.  But  if  the  luminous  sign  1  is  inserted  in  this  root, 
it  is  no  longer  the  mass  of  waters  that  it  expresses;  it  is,  so  to  speak, 
the  mass  of  light,  the  gathering  of  the  intelligible  element;  it  is  21", 
the  universal  manifestation,  day.  See  Rad.  Vocab.  root  Vs  and  a*. 

It  is  unnecessary,  I  think,  for  me  to  say  how  very  essential  is 
this  grammatical  training.  But  I  must  warn  the  reader  that  the 
Chaldaic  punctuation  having  suppressed  almost  invariably  the  sign  1 
of  the  word  C^,  especially  in  the  plural  a*^",  it  has  caused  the  same 
characters  a^  or  D".10^  to  signify,  according  to  the  circumstance, 
day  or  sea;  days  or  seas. 

nV^,  Night....  The  formation  of  this  word  demands  particular 
attention.  Refer  to  Rad.  Vocab.  root  N*>,  ibandV?.  It  is  the  amalga- 
mation of  these  three  roots  that  forms  the  word  in  question.  The 
words  naught  and  knot,  holding  to  the  same  root  as  the  word  night, 
portray  very  felicitously  the  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense  attached 
to  the  Hebrew1  word  nb"b. 

3^2 ,  west-eve. . . .  This  name  famous  in  all  the  ancient  mythologies, 
is  the  Erebus  which  we  have  drawn  from  the  Greek  ty«/36$,  and  whose 
origin  has  so  greatly  troubled  the  savants.  Its  signification  is  not 
doubtful.  It  always  recalls  to  the  mind  something  obscure,  distant, 
out  of  sight.  The  Hellenists  who  have  rendered  it  in  this  passage  by 
iffvtpa,  and  the  Latins  by  "vespere,"  evening,  have  visibly  weakened  the 
meaning.  It  signifies  the  Occident,  and  all  ideas  which  are  related  to 
it,  not  only  in  Hebrew,  but  in  Chaldaic,  Syriac,  Ethiopic  and  in  Arabic. 


36  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

7.    Wa-iahash      JElohim    ^^  rp>Tnj?  DTfttf 


ahath  la-rakiwha,  w'bein  ha-     yp?     VO  *10f  D?0n 
maim  asher  mehal  la-raki- 
wha,  wa-lehl  then. 


The  name  of  the  last  mentioned  people  is  derived  therefrom,  as  I  have 
already  stated  in  my  Introductory  Dissertation. 

"IpD,  east-daum This  word,  produced  from  the  root  "ip,  governed 

by  the  sign  D,  indicates  a  thing  whose  course  is  regulated,  and  which 
presents  itself  ever  the  same;  a  thing  which  is  renewed  unceasingly. 
The  Arabic  reads  ^L  .  This  word  is  found  sometimes  used  to  ex- 
press, light.  The  Syriac  j  &$  contains  often  the  idea  of  inspection, 
of  exploration.  The  Hellenists  in  restricting  its  signification  to  the 
word  vpol,  morning,  have  followed  purposely  the  literal  and  vulgar 
sense.  The  Samaritan  version  was  less  restricted;  it  translates  21JJ 

and  npa,  by  ***£J^  and^Hflt;  that  is  to  say-tnat  which  lowers,  falls, 
ends,  and  that  which  rises,  begins,  signals.  The  Chaldaic  targum 
says  the  same  thing:  EEl  and  "O.  The  English  words  over  and 
back,  hold  to  the  same  roots  as  the  Hebraic  words,  and  vividly  ex- 
press the  figurative  sense. 

v.  6.  J?*p"),  a-rarefying. ...  The  Hellenists  have  translated  this 
word  by  the  Greek  fep^w/xa,  which  signifies  a  firm,  solid  thing;  Saint 
Jerome  has  imitated  them  in  saying  "firmamentum,"  firmament.  This 
version  grossly  misinterprets  Moses,  who  never  thought  that  ethereal 
space  was  either  firm  or  solid,  as  he  has  been  made  to  say;  on  the 
contrary,  the  root  pi,  from  which  he  draws  this  expression  contains 
the  idea  of  tenuity  and  expansion.  The  verb  p*"l  or  p"H,  which  comes 
from  it,  signifies  to  be  rarefied  or  rendered  void.  Finally  the  com- 
pound word  3?*p"l,  whence  the  word  referred  to  is  derived,  presents 
only  the  sense  of  expanding  and  attenuating.  It  is  difficult  to  under- 
stand how  the  Hellenists  have  been  able  to  see  in  all  this,  their  solid 
fep^w/ia;  at  least  assuming  the  idea  of  Richard  Simon  who  thinks  that 
they  have  followed,  on  this  occasion,  the  rude  jargon  that  was  spoken 
at  that  time  in  Jerusalem.  (Hist.  crit.  L.  II.  ch.  5).  The  Samaritan 

version  translates  the  word  ypl  by  ^Ijrt^Vl]^  '  that  is  to  say>  order> 
harmony,  arrangement  of  parts;  an  idea  very  far  from  solidity.  Per- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  37 

7.    And-he-made,  HE-the-  7.    Et-il-fit,  LUi-les- 

Gods,   that-self-sameness-of-  D  i  e  u  x  ,  cette-ipseite-de-la- 

-t  h  e-rarefying      ( loosening  rarefaction       ( cette      force 

power,    ethereal    expanse):  rarefiante ,  1'espace  ethere )  j 

and  -  he-did  -  eff  ect-a-separat  -  et-  il  -  fit  -  exieter-une-separa- 

ing-cause  betwixt  the-waters  tion  entre  les-eaux  que-eta- 

which-were     below     by-the-  lent  par-en-bas  (affaissees) 

rarefying    (sinking    down)  de-1'espace-ethere       et-entre 

and-betwixt  the-waters  les-eaux  qui-etaient  par-en- 

which-were     above     by-the-  haut  (exalt£es)  de  Tespace- 

rarefying  (raising  up)  and-  ether£ :  et-ce-fut-ainsi. 
it-was-so. 


haps  the  Hellenists  have  deemed  it  proper  to  materialize  this  expres- 
sion. However  that  may  be,  the  Arabic  <Jj,  even  the  Syriac  -o>  ,  and 
the  Ethiopic  analogue  %ff(rakk),  confirm  all  the  ideas  of  subtlety, 
tenuity  and  spirituality  which  is  in  the  Hebrew. 

D"ttn  Tj'TQ,    in-the-centre    of-the-waters This    is   to   say,    in 

examining  the  roots  and  the  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense,  in  the 
sympathetic  and  central  point  of  universal  passivity;  which  agrees 
perfectly  with  a  rarefying  and  dilating  force  such  as  Moses  under- 
stood. But  the  Hellinists  having  considered  it  proper  to  change  this 
intelligible  force  into  a  sentient  solidity,  have  been  led  to  change 
all  the  rest.  The  word  b~2?2,  which  is  obviously  a  continued  facul- 
tative, according  to  the  excitative  form,  expressing  the  action  of  mak- 
ing a  separation  exist  among  divers  natures,  they  have  changed  into 
a  substantive,  and  have  seen  only  a  separation  produced  by  a  kind 
of  wall  that  they  have  created.  The  Arabic  verb  Jo,  which  is 
attached  to  the  same  root  as  the  Hebrew  blD,  expresses  a  mutation 
of  nature  or  of  place. 

v.  7.  jrpin  n«,  that-self sameness-of-the-rarefying . . . .  It  was  doubt- 
less seen  in  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter,  that  I  gave  according  to 
the  occasion,  a  particular  meaning  to  tho  designative  preposition  JIN 
having  rendered  C*EEn  nx  word-for-word  by  the  aelfsameness-(objec- 
tivity)-of-the-hcavens;  it  is  true,  as  I  have  taken  pains  to  state  in 
my  Grammar  (ch.  IV,  §  3),  that  this  preposition  expresses  often  more 
than  a  simple  designative  inflexion,  and  that  it  characterizes,  especially 
when  it  is  followed  by  the  determinative  article  D,  as  in  this  instance, 


38  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


8.     Wa-ikera  ^Elohim  la-     DW 
rakiwha    shamalm.    wa-iehl 
hereb,    wa-leU    boker    I6m       «'  'V  » 
shenl. 


9.     Wa-iaomer     ^Elohim    HfinD  D'OH  lip;  D»if?$ 


hath  ha-shamaim 

aohad,  w'thera  aeth  ha-iaba-  J  jp~'?T1 

shah,  wa-iehi-dhen. 


the  substance  itself,  the  ipseity,   the  objectivity,  the   selfsameness  of 
the  thing  which  it  designates. 


,  fteZoto.  .  .  .  i'E,  above....  These  two  adverbial  relations 
have,  in  this  instance,  a  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense,  very  es- 
sential to  understand.  The  first  nnnE,  has  the  root  nn,  contain- 
ing every  idea  of  shock,  terror,  restraint.  This  root,  governed  by  the 
sympathetic  sign  n,  becomes  in  an  abstract  sense,  the  expression  of 
that  which  is  worn  out  and  inferior.  The  root  of  the  second  of 
these  relations  is,  on  the  contrary  Vi\  which  draws  with  it  every 
idea  of  distention,  and  of  sentient  exaltation.  It  is  the  reinforcement 
of  the  root  V™,  which  develops  a  sentiment  of  joy  and  merriment. 

v.  8.  n*£E?,  heavens  ____  Later  on  I  shall  give  the  etymology  of 
this  word.  But  I  beg  the  reader  to  observe  here,  that  the  heavens  are 
developed  only  successively,  and  after  the  formation  of  ethereal  space: 
which  proves  that  they  were  at  first  created  only  in  principle,  as 
I  have  said. 

v.  9.  11]?*,  thcy-shall-drive  ----  The  root  '^,  whence  comes  the 
verb  Hip,  expresses  every  leaning,  every  inclination,  every  movement 
of  blind  but  irresistible  force  toward  a  goal.  The  figurative  sense  of 
this  expression,  which  Moses  uses  according  to  its  intensive  verbal 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


39 


8.  And-he-assigned-for- 
name,      HE-the-Beiug-of-be- 
ings,    to-the-e  t  h  e  r  e  a  1-ex- 
panse,  Heavens  (exalted  and 
shining  waters)  :  and-there- 
was  west-eve,  and-there-was 
east-dawn    (over  and   back 
again ) ,    Day    the-s  e  c  o  n  d 
(light's    second    manifesta- 
tion). 

9.  And-he-said,     HE-the- 
Gods,  they-shall-drive  (tend 
to)    the- waters    from.-below 
(from    the    sinking    down) 
the-heavens   toward   a-driv- 
ing-place,  one  (single)  ;  and- 
there-shall-be-seen   the-dry- 
ness:  and-it-was-so. 


8.  Et-il-assigna-nom,  LUI 
Pfitre-des-etres  a-1'espace- 
eth£r£,  Cieux  ( les  eaux  ecla- 
tantes,  elevens)  :  et-fut-occi- 
dent,  et-fut-orient  (libera- 
tion et  iteration),  Jour  sec- 
ond (seconde  manifestation 
ph£nomenique). 


9.  Et-il-dit,  LUi-les-Dieux, 
elles  tendront-fortenient  (in- 
clineront,  se  determineront 
par  un  movement  irresiti- 
ble)  les-eaux  par-en-bas  (de 
Paffaissement )  d  e  s-c  i  e  u  x, 
vers  un-lieu-d£termin£,  un- 
ique ;  et  se-verra-l'aridit6 : 
et-ce-fut-ainsi. 


form,  has  been  corrupted  by  the  Samaritans  who  restrict  it  to  the 
literal  sense,  and  make  use  of  the  verb  ***^)^J'  according  to  the  re- 
flexive form  *iy  ty%flrfft  ;  that  is  to  say'  thev  shal1  be  conflu' 
ent,  the  waters 

D!pE~/X,  toward  a  driving-place This  word,  which  Moses  uses 

after  the  verb  ~'p,  holds  to  the  same  root.  It  is  a  figure  of  speech 
which  this  hierographic  writer  never  lacks,  and  which  proves  the  inner 
knowledge  that  he  had  of  his  tongue:  one  always  finds  the  verb  derived 
from  the  substantive  or  the  substantive  derived  from  the  verb,  pro- 
ceeding together  as  if  to  confirm  and  sustain  each  other.  In  this 
instance,  the  root  ip  which  expresses  the  tendency  toward  a  goal,  the 
force  which  drives  with  power  in  action,  produces  at  first  the  verb 
nip,  which  depicts  the  movement  toward  that  goal:  this  one  taking 
on  the  character  n  as  collective  sign,  becomes  the  verb  Cip  whose 
meaning  is,  to  substantialize,  to  establish  in  substance,  to  drive  -with 
power  in  action.  This  same  verb,  being  inflected  in  its  turn  by  the 
sign  of  exterior  action  S,  becomes  the  very  place,  the  goal  of  the 
movement,  the  action  resulting  from  the  power. 


40  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

10.     Wa-ikera  2Elohim  la- 
iabashah  aretz,  wTmikweh     ^^  Q^  ^     D'OH  nTO'fl 
ha-maim  kara  iammim,  wa-        :"  "  T»T 

iarae  ^Elohiin  chi-tob.  J  DlD'^  D 


Thus  the  waters,  moved  in  the  centre  by  an  expansive  and  rare- 
fying force  which  tends  to  make  a  separation  of  the  subtle  parts  and 
of  the  dense  parts;  the  waters,  image  of  universal  passivity,  rise  from 
the  one  side  to  form  ethereal  space,  and  fall  on  the  other  to  be  united 
in  the  gulf  of  seas.  I  know  not  what  the  modern  savants  will  think 
of  this  physics;  but  this  I  do  know,  that  it  is  neither  ridiculous  nor 
contemptible.  If  I  did  not  fear  to  display  in  these  notes  an  erudi- 
tion out  of  place,  I  would  repeat  what  I  have  already  said  pertaining 
to  the  system  of  the  two  opposed  forces,  admitted  not  only  by  the  an- 
cients but  also  by  the  moderns:  forces  which  Parmenides  called  ethereal 
fire  and  night;  Heraclitus,  the  way  upward  and  the  way  downward; 
Timseus  of  Locri,  intelligence  and  necessity;  Empedocles,  love  and 
hate;  Plato,  himself  and  that  which  is  not  him;  Descartes,  movement 
and  resistance;  Newton,  centrifugal  force  and  centripetal  force,  etc. 


v.  10.  n~3*,  the  dryness  ____  Here,  the  root  TN  ,  whose  meaning 
I  have  already  explained,  is  found  preceded  by  the  sign  of  interior 
action  D,  and  by  the  sign  of  manifestation  and  of  duration  "1,  giving 
evidence  of  the  inner  and  continuous  action  of  this  igneous  principle. 
Thus,  it  is  a  thing  not  only  dried  by  fire,  but  a  thing  that  fire  con- 
tinues to  burn  interiorly,  which  is  revealed  through  the  irresistible 
force  which  makes  the  waters  tend  toward  a  determined  place. 

V"1X,  earth....  I  make  the  same  remark  with  respect  to  the 
earth,  that  I  have  made  with  respect  to  the  heavens,  and  pass  on  to 
its  etymology.  The  primitive  root  IK,  contains  the  united  signs, 
almost  always  violent,  of  stable  power  and  of  continued  movement 
proper.  These  two  signs  which  appear  opposed  to  each  other,  produce 
an  elementary  root  which  is  found  again  in  all  tongues,  and  which, 
expressing  that  which  pertains  to  the  elementary  principle  or  to  nature 
in  general,  signifies,  following  the  new  modifications  that  it  receives, 
light,  ether,  fire,  air,  water,  earth  and  even  metal.  The  Hebraic 
tongue  which  is  no  other  than  the  primitive  Egyptian,  possesses  this 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  41 

10.     And-he-assigned-for-  10.       Et-il-assigna-nom, 

name,    HE-the-Gods,    to-the-  LUi-les-Uieux,       a-l'aridit6, 

dryness,   earth  (terminating  terre  (element  terminant  et 

element)  ;    . and-to-the-driv-  bornant) ;     et-a-la-tendance 

ing-place  of-the  waters,  he-  des-e  a  u  x,     il-assigna-nom, 

assigned-for-name,  seas  (wa-  mers   (immensite  acqueuse, 

terish   streaming)  :   and-he-  manifestation    de    runiver- 

did-ken,  HE-the-Being-of-be-  selle    passivit£)  :    et-il-con- 

ings,  that-as-good.  sidera,   LUi-les-Dieux,   cela- 

ainsi-bon. 


root  in  all  Its  modifications,  as  can  be  seen  in  the  Rad.  Vocab.  root 
IX,  ID,  etc. 

Without  there  being  need  for  examining  here  the  diverse  modi- 
fications of  this  important  root,  let  it  suffice  for  me  to  say,  that 
whether  one  adds  the  signs  of  compression  and  material  sense,  as 
the  Chaldeans  and  Samaritans  in  their  words  piK,  jnx,  or  ^C^fc 
or  whether  one  places  there,  as  the  Hebrews,  the  sign  X,  which  ex- 
presses the  term  and  end  of  all  substance,  one  finds  equally  earth, 
that  is  to  say,  the  element  which  is  limited,  figured,  tactile,  compres- 
sive,  plastic,  etc. 

It  must  be  remarked  that  in  augmenting  the  force  of  the  root 
IX  in  its  potential  character  X,  one  makes  it  "in  or  "in,  that  which 
burns,  that  which  inflames,  either  literally,  or  figuratively;  in  doubling 
its  movement  as  in  TX ,  that  which  is  execrable  and  cursed;  and 
Tin  that  which  is  steep,  rough,  hilly,  etc. 

D-tt",  seas That  is  to  say,  aqueous  immensity:  for  the  word 

which  designates  seas,  is  only  the  word  a*?D ,  waters  preceded 
by  the  sign  of  manifestation  \  As  to  the  word  C"7D  itself,  the  fol- 
lowing is  the  history  of  its  formation. 

The  root  ~S ,  to  or  *E,  contains  the  idea  of  passive  relation, 
of  plastic  and  creative  movement  It  is  perceived  in  the  Arabic  wordf 

£-U  .  ^U  •  ^1.  all  of  which  have  reference  to  this  idea.  The  Hebrews 
have  made  much  use  of  it  in  the  vulgar  idiom,  without  entirely  pene- 
trating its  meaning;  however,  they,  as  well  as  the  Chaldeans  and 
Syrians,  employed  the  verb  tfto  to  express  the  mutation  of  things, 
and  their  relative  movement.  The  name  which  they  gave  to  water, 
in  general,  although  expressed  by  the  root  of  which  I  speak,  was 
rarely  in  the  singular,  and  as  if  their  sages  had  wished  to  show  in 


42  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


11.  Wa-iaomer  ^Elohim, 
thadesh*  ha-aretz  desh*  he-  Q 
sheb  mazenha  zerah,  hetz 
pheri  hosheh  pheri  le-minoii, 
asher  zareh'  6-b'd,  hal-ha- 
aretz,  wa-iehi-chen. 


12.     Wa-th6tzge    ha-aretz 
deff  hesheb  mazeriha  ze-       ^     Q  ^  ^ ^ 

rah  le-minehou  w'hetz  hos- 
heh pheri,  asher  zareh'6-b'o 
le  minehou:  wa-iarse 
him  chi-tob. 


that  way  the  double  movement  which  it  contains,  or  that  they  knew 
its  inner  composition,  they  gave  it  almost  always  the  dual  number: 
S"1"1^  ,  double  waters. 

Yet,  a  very  singular  thing  which  ought  not  to  escape  the  archaeolo- 
gists is,  that  from  the  Chinese  to  the  Celts,  all  peoples  may  draw 
from  the  word  which,  in  their  tongue  designates  water,  the  one  which 
serves  as  indeterminate  pronominal  relation.  The  Chinese  say  choui 
water,  and  choui,  who,  what?  The  Hebrews  HE  or  ^  water  and  ns 
or  *tt  who,  what?  The  Latins,  aqua,  water,  and  quis,  quoe,  quod,  who, 
what?  The  Teutons  and  Saxons,  wasser,  water,  and  was  or  wat,  who, 
what?  etc. 

I  am  taking  up  here,  the  etymology  of  the  word  C*?:E  heavens, 
because  it  is  attached  to  the  one  I  have  been  explaining  in  this  article, 
and  because  it  signifies  literally,  the  waters,  raised,  brilliant  and 
glorified;  being  formed  from  the  word  2*72,  waters,  and  from  the 
root  22?  which  is  united  to  it.  This  root  contains  the  idea  of  that 
which  rises  and  shines  in  space,  that  which  is  distinguished  and 
noticeable  by  its  elevation  or  its  splendour.  The  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic 
!"1?2E?  means,  happy,  transported  \vith  joy;  the  Arabic  A->  ,  has  almost 
the  same  sense. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


43 


11.  And-he-said  (declar- 
ing his  will)  HE-the-Gods; 
shall-cause-to-grow,  t  h  e- 
earth,  a-gro wing  grass,  seed- 
yielding-seed,  ( sprout-yield- 
ing-sprout) vegetable-sub- 
stance and-fructuous,  yield- 
ing-fruit, after-the-kind-its- 
own  which-has  t  lie-seed-its- 
own  unto-itself,  upon-the- 
earth:  and-it-was-so. 


11.  Et-il-dit  (declarant 
sa  volont6),  LUi-les-Dieux ; 
fera-vegeter  la-terre,  une- 
vegetante  herbe,  germifiant- 
germe,  substance  fructueuse 
faisant-fruit,  selon-l'espece- 
sienne  qui-ait  semence-sien- 
ne  dans-soi,  sur-la-terre :  et- 
ce-fut-ainsi. 


12.  And-it-did-shoot-out, 
(yield  forth),  the  earth,  a- 
growing-grass  seed-yielding- 
seed  after-the-kind-its-own, 
and  -  a  -  vegetable  -  substance 
and-fructuous,  which  the- 
seed  its-own  unto-itself 
( has ) ,  af ter-the-kind-itself ; 
and  he-viewed,  HE-the-Be- 
ing-of-beings,  that-as-good. 


12.  Et  -  elle  -  fit  -  sortir 
(provenir,  naitre),  la  terre, 
une  vegetante  herbe,  germi- 
nant-germe,  d'apres-l'espece 
-sienne,  et  une-substance 
fructuese  qui  semence-sienne 
dans-soi,  (avait  et  aura)  se- 
lon  Fespece-sienne ;  et-il-vit, 
LUi-rfitre-des-etres,  c  e  1  a- 
ainsi-bon. 


v.    11.        N2?~n,    shall-cause-to-grow This    is    the    verb      Xt?1 

to  grow,  used  according  to  the  excitative  form,  active  movement,  future 
tense.  The  Hebraic  phrase  has  a  delicacy  and  precision  that  is  almost 
impossible  to  make  understood  even  in  the  word-for-word,  where  I 
allow  myself  the  greatest  license,  not  only  in  the  form  but  also  in 
the  concatenation  of  the  words.  There  exists  only  the  difficulty  which 
rises  from  the  idiomatic  genius  and  from  the  turn  of  phrase  affected 
by  Moses.  This  turn  of  phrase  consists,  as  I  have  already  said,  in 
drawing  always  the  noun  and  the  verb  from  the  same  root,  and  in 
repeating  them  under  diverse  modifications.  One  can  perceive  in  this 
verse  and  in  those  following,  the  singular  grace  and  picturesque  beauty. 
I  venture  to  hope  even  through  the  perplexity  of  the  French  and 
English  \vord-for-word  rendering,  that  by  adhering  to  the  literal  sense, 
one  will  see  here  many  things  that  the  Hellenists  or  Latin  translators 
had  not  allowed  even  to  be  suspected. 


v.   12.     NSVtl,  and-it-did-shootout It  is  the  verbN'X\  to  come 


44  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


13.     Wa-iehi-hereb,      wa-     •  ^^y  QV  "lpb"'iT1  D") 
iehl-boker,  iom  shelishi. 


14.     Wa-iaomer    ^lohim  #  JTD  hlM?  7T  D' 

iehl  maoroth  bi-rekiwha  ha-  Q1      _  ^        u, ^ 

shamaim     le-habeddil     bein  I  "          -    '  "    '  -'-  =  L  " 

ha-iom  w'beln  ha-lailah  w'  DHSflO^I  fink"?  V.TI  H^n 

haioii    le-aothoth   wTmoha-  ,'       ^     ^1 

dim  wTlamim  w'shanim.  *      •  ^  !  u  '^r1 


i,  fo  proceed,  to  be  born,  used  according  to  the  excitative  form,  in 
the  future  tense  made  past  by  the  convertible  sign.  I  beg  the  reader 
to  observe  here  again  this  hieroglyphic  expression.  GOD  speaks  in 
the  future  and  his  expression  repeated,  is  turned  suddenly  to  the  past. 
Let  us  examine  this  important  verb  and  proceed  to  the  analysis  of  its 
elements.  The  first  which  offers  itself  is  the  sign  S,  expressing  every 
terminative  movement,  every  conclusion,  every  end.  Its  proper  and 
natural  place  is  at  the  end  of  words:  thence  the  roots  SX  or  S~,  in 
Arabic  jf>\  containing  every  idea  of  corporeal  bourns  and  limits,  of  re- 
pressing and  concluding  force,  of  term.  But  if,  instead  of  terminating 
the  words,  this  sign  begins  them;  then,  far  from  arresting  the  forms, 
it  pushes  them,  on  the  contrary,  toward  the  goal  of  which  it  is  itself 

the   symbol:    thence,    the   opposed    roots   NiJ,    in   Syriac    {{  .,   and    in 

Arabic  I*  ,  whose  idea  is,  leaving  the  bourns,  breaking  the  shackles 
of  the  body,  coming  outside,  being  born.  It  is  from  this  last  root, 
verbalized  by  the  initial  adjunction  *,  that  the  verb  which  is  the 
subject  of  this  note,  is  derived.  It  signifies  to  appear,  to  come  outside 
by  a  movement  of  propagation,  as  is  demonstrated  unquestionably,  by 
the  substantive  nouns  which  are  derived  therefrom,  X*2i  a  son,  and 
i  a  numerous  progeny. 

v.  13.    There  are  no  further  remarks  to  be  made  here. 


v.  14.  nVTiXtt,  sensible  lights  ____  This  is  the  root  "tfX  light,  de- 
termined into  form  by  the  plastic  sign.?:.  I  have  restored  to  this 
word  the  mother  voxels  which  the  Chaldaic  punctuation  had  sup- 
pressed; I  have  done  the  same  in  the  following:  but  I  must  state  that 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


45 


13.  And-there-was-west- 
eve,    and  -  there  -  was  -  east- 
dawn  (over  and  back  again) 
day  the-third  (light's  third 
manifestation). 

14.  And-he-said,  HE-the- 
Gods :      sensible-lights-and- 
local    there-shall-be    in-the- 
ethereal-expanse  of-heavens, 
for  -  causing-a-separation-to- 
be-made     betwixt     t  he-day, 
and-betwixt  the-night ;  and 
they-shall-be-in-futurity,  for- 
the-divisions-of-time,       and- 
for-the-revolutions-of-light's- 
universal   -  manifestations, 
and  -  for  -  the  -  ontological- 
changes-of -beings. 


13.  Et-fut-occident,     et- 
fut-orient   (liberation  et  it- 
eration) jour  troisieme  (tro- 
isieme    manifestation    phe- 
nom£nique). 

14.  Et-il-dit,  LUi-les  Di- 
eux:  il-existera  des-clartes- 
exterieures  (lumieres  sensi- 
bles)   dans-1'expansion-ethe- 
r£e  des-cieux,  pour-faire-le- 
partage   (le  mouvement  de 
separation )  entre  le  jour  et- 
entre     la-nuit :     et-elles-se- 
ront-en-signes-a-v  e  n  i  r    et- 
pour-1  es-divisions-temporel- 
les    et-pour-les    manifesta- 
tions-phenom£niques-univer- 
selles,  et-pour-les-mutations- 
ontologiques-des-etres. 


the  suppression  of  these  vowels  is  here  necessitated  by  the  hiero- 
glyphic style.  For  the  Divine  Verb  always  expressing  itself  in  the 
future,  and  the  accomplishment  of  the  will  of  the  Being  of  beings, 
following  likewise  in  the  convertible  future,  the  creation  remains 
always  in  power,  according  to  the  meaning  of  the  initial  word  n*CX"G« 
This  is  why  the  word  mN2  is  deprived  of  the  luminous  sign  not 
only  in  the  singular,  but  also  in  the  plural. 

Pin'X1? .  in-signs-to-come  (in-futurity) The  Hellinists  have  trans- 
lated simply  iviavroit,  and  Saint  Jerome  has  said  "in  signa,"  in  signs. 
But  this  word  comes  from  the  continued  facultative  ".TiX,  to  be  com- 
ing, inflected  by  the  directive  article  b. 

Er-iJ'fcbl ,  and-for-the-divisions-of-times This  word  springs  from 

the  root  ~t3?,  governed  by  the  sign  of  exterior  action  72,  and  inflected 
by  the  directive  article  S.  It  is  necessary  to  consult  the  Radical 
Vocab.  concerning  this  important  root,  as  well  as  the  roots  of  the 
two  following  words  C'>  and  ntt?. 

As  the  Greek  and  Latin  translators  have  seen  in  these  three  words 


46  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


15.    W'haioti    li-maoroth  D'OCTD  JPfTp  mittp?  1»JTI 
bi-rekiwha    ha-shamaim    1'-  4  n-»»TW 

hair      hal-ha-aretz      wa-ihl  'I-     • :} 

chen. 


16.    Wa-iahash 
aeth-sheni    ha-maoroth    ha- 
gheddolim,  aBth-ha-maor  ha- 
gaddol    le-memesheleth    ha-     ^W^CTn^)   Di*D 
iom  w'aeth-ha-maor  ha-katon     "nN")  n^H  H^'Olp1?  PJ5H 
le-memesheleth       ha-lailah, 
w'aeth-ha-chochabim. 


only  days,  months  and  years,  it  will  be  well  for  me  to  dwell  upon  this; 
but  I  shall  find  the  occasion  to  do  so  further  on. 


v.  15.  VXn,  for-causing-brigJitness-to-shine.  .  .  .  This  is  the  root 
TiX,  light,  or  hieroglyphically,  Intellectual  coporeity,  -which,  having 
become  verb,  is  employed  here  according  to  the  excitative  form:  so 
that  it  appears  evident  by  the  text  of  Moses,  that  this  hierographic 
writer  regarded  the  celestial  luminous  centres,  as  sensible  lights  des- 
tined to  propagate  intellectual  light  and  to  excite  it  upon  the  earth. 
Physics  of  this  kind  offers  much  food  for  reflection. 

v.  16.  *32TnX,  those  twain  ____  It  must  be  observed  that  Moses 
does  not  employ  here  a*JE  two,  as  the  Greek  and  Latin  translators 
have  rendered  it,  which  would  separate  the  two  luminaries  of  which 
he  speaks;  but  that  he  employs  the  word  "2U,  inflected  by  the  desig- 
native  preposition  J1S,  that  same  twain,  that  couple,  that  gemination: 
thus  uniting  them  under  one  single  idea. 

H/r?2Tlb,  for-a-symbolical-representation....  The  Hellenists  have 
translated  this,  eii  apxdt,  which  is  the  most  restricted  interpretation; 
for  in  short,  it  is  evident  that  the  sun  and  the  moon  rule  over  the 
day  and  night.  Indeed  Moses  would  be  but  little  understood  if  one 
were  to  stop  at  an  idea  so  trivial.  The  verb  V*££  means,  it  is  true, 
to  be  ruler,  judge  or  prince;  but  it  signifies  much  oftener  to  be  the 
model,  the  representative,  the  symbol  of  something;  to  speak  in  alle- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


15.  And-they-shall-be  as- 
sensible-lights       (sparkling 
foci )    in-the-e  t  h  e  r  e  al  -ex- 
panse of-heavens,   for-caus- 
ing-brightness-to-shine    (in- 
tellectual   light )     upon-the- 
earth :  and-it-was-so. 

16.  And-he-made,  HE-the- 
Gods,  those-twain  (that  cou- 
ple,  that   pair)    of-central- 
lights     the-great :     the-self- 
sameness-of-the-central-light 
the-greater,      for-a-symboli- 
cal-representation       of-day, 
and-the-self-sameness-df-the 
-central-light  the-lesser,  for- 
a-symbolical -  representation 
of-night;     and-the-selfsame- 
ness-of-the-stars       (world's 
virtual  faculties). 


15.  Et-elles-seront-com- 
me-des-lumieres  sensibles 
(des  foyers  lumineux)  dans- 
l'expansion-eth£reedes-cieux 
pour-faire-briller  (exciter  la 
lumiere  intellectuelle)  sur- 
la-terre :  et-cela-f ut-ainsi. 

16.  Et-il-fit,  LUi-les-Di- 
eux,  cette-duite  (cette  ge- 
mination, ce  couple)  de- 
clartes-exterieures  les-gran- 
des :  ripseite-de-la-lumiere- 
centrale,  la-grande,  pour- 
representer-symboliquement 
le-jour  (la-manifestation 
universelle),  et-l'ips£it£-de- 
la-lumiere-centrale  la-peti- 
te, pour-representer  symboli- 
quement-la-nuit  (la  nega- 
tion-manifestee) ;  et-1'ipsei- 
t6-des-4toiles  (facult^s  vir- 
tuelles  de  Tunivers). 


gories,  in  parables;  to  present  a  similitude,  an  emblem,  a  figure.  This 
verb  is  produced  from  the  root  "C  which,  containing  in  itself  every 
idea  of  parity,  similitude  and  representation,  is  joined  to  the  signs 
£  and  b,  to  express  its  exterior  action  and  its  relative  movement 
In  the  phrase  with  which  we  are  occupied,  this  verb  is  used  accord- 
ing to  the  intensive  form,  and  consequently  invested  with  the  con- 
tinued facultative  of  the  sign  73,  which  doubles  the  force  of  its 
action. 

The  word  ^  O-44*  ^ ,  made  use  of  by  the  Samaritan  version  in 
this  instance,  signifies  likewise  to  speak  allegorically,  to  use  parables. 

C*22"2rrnN",  and-the-sclfsam.eness-of-the-stars....  The  word  32*i3» 
vulgarly  translated  star,  is  composed  of  the  root  H'O,  which  is  related 
to  every  idea  of  strength  and  of  virtue,  physically  as  well  as  morally, 
and  of  the  mysterious  root  2'K  which  develops  the  idea  of  the  fe- 


48     THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


17.     Wa-itthen       aotham     y_'jT)3    D*»778    DJTlN    fHfl 
JElohim   bi-rekiwha  ha-sha- 
maim  Fhair  hal-ha-aretz. 


18.     W'li-meshol     ba-iom     7Hpn71  K1??^  Dl51? 
w'-ba-l  ail  ah    wThabeddfl     ^    ^    ^     nlNn 
bein  ha-aor  w  bem  ha-hosh-        =-• 
edh,    wa-ierae    ^Elohlm    chi- 
tob. 


19.     Wa-iehi    hereb, 
iehi  boker,  16m  rebihl. 


20.     Wa-iaomer    ^Elohim 

ishertzou    ha-maim    sheretz     ,^    ftmy    niyi     TTT 
nephesh  haiah,  w'hoph  iwho- 
pheph  hal-ha4retz,  hal-phe- 
nei  rekiwha  ha-shamaim. 


cundation  of  the  universe.  Thus  according  to  the  figurative  and  hiero- 
glyphic sense,  the  word  23*3  signifies  not  only  star,  but  the  virtual  and 
fecundating  force  of  the  universe.  Therein  can  be  found  the  germ  of 
many  ancient  ideas,  whether  relative  to  astrological  science,  concern- 
ing which  it  is  known  that  the  Egyptians  thought  highly,  or  whether 
relative  to  the  Hermetic  science.  As  my  intention  is  not,  at  this  time, 
to  comment  upon  the  thought  of  Moses,  I  shall  not  draw  from  the  ex- 
planation of  this  hieroglyphist,  all  the  inferences  that  I  might;  I  am 
satisfied  to  do  in  this  instance  as  I  have  already  done,  and  as  I  shall 
be  forced  to  do  more  and  more,  that  is,  giving  only  the  literal  and 
figurative  meaning,  and  as  much  as  is  possible  for  me,  the  hieroglyphic, 
leaving  to  the  sagacity  of  the  reader  the  task  of  making  the  applica- 
tions. The  Samaritan  and  Chaldaic  versions  do  not  differ  here  from 
the  Hebrew. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


49 


17.  And-he-laid-out  them, 
HE-the-Gods,  in-the-dilating- 
power     (ethereal    expanse) 
of-heavens,     for-c  a  u  s  i  n  g- 
brightness      (intellectual 
light  )-to-shine       (percepti- 
bly) upon-the-earth. 

18.  And-for-acting      (as 
symbolical  types)  in-the-day 
and    in-the-night ;    and-for- 
causing  -  a  -  separation-to-be- 
made  betwixt  the-light  and- 
betwixt  the-darkness :  and- 
he-did-ken,  HE-the-Being-of- 
beings,  that-as-good. 

19.  And -there- was-west- 
eve,    a  n  d-t  h  e  r  e-was-east- 
dawn,     day-t  he-f  o  u  r  t  h 
(light's    fourth    mainfesta- 
tion.) 

20.  And-he-said,  HE-the- 
Gods,    (declaring  his  will) 
shall  -spring- forth-plenti ful- 
ly, the-waters,  the-plentiful- 
wormlike    soul-of-life    and- 
the-fowl  flying-about  above- 
the-earth  on-the-face  of-the- 
ethereal-expanse-of-heavens. 


17.  Et-il-preposa     elles, 
LUi-les-Dieux,  dans-la-force- 
rarefiante        (1'expansion 
etheree)  des-cieux,  pour-ex- 
citer-la-lumiere     (£lenienti- 
sation  intellectuelle)-a-bril- 
ler-d'une-maniere     sensible, 
sur-la-terre. 

18.  Et-pour-representer- 
symboliquement  dans-le-jour 
et-dans-la-n  u  i  t ;    et-p  o  u  r- 
faire-le-partage    entre-la-lu- 
miere      et-entre-robscurite : 
et-il-vit,  LUi-1'Etre-des-etres, 
cela-ainsi-bon. 

19.  Et-fut-occident,     et- 
fut-orient,      jour-quatrieme 
(quatrieme      manifestation 
phenom^nique). 

20.  Et-il-d  it,    L  u  i-l  e  s 
Dieux,  (declarant  sa  volon- 
t6)  :      origineront-a-foisons, 
les-eaux,  roriginante-vermi- 
forme  ame-de-vie  et-le-vola- 
tile  veloci-volant  au-dessus- 
de-la-terre    sur-la-face    de- 
re*xpansion-eth6r6e-des- 
cieux. 


v.  17.  'p'X  And-he-laid-out This  is  the  verb  ^  to  act  forth, 

to  put,  to  leave;  which,  employed  according  to  the  intensive  form,  as 
on  this  occasion,  signifies  to  assign,  to  lay  out,  to  ordain. 

v.  18  and  19.  There  is  nothing  more  to  observe  here  than  what 
has  already  been  said. 

v.  20.  -iriK-l,  And-he-said. . .  I  refer  the  reader  to  v.  3.  of  this 
chapter,  and  beg  also  to  call  attention  to  the  effect  of  the  convertible 
sign  1,  which  turns  the  future  to  the  past.  It  is  very  important  in 


50  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


21.   wa-ibera  ^Eiohim 

seth-ha-thaninim  ha-gheddo- 
lim,  w'seth-dhol-nephesh  ha- 
haiah    ha-romesheth    asher     D'OH 
shartzou    ha-maim   le-mine-       '  '     ^ 
hem    w  ipth-chol-hoph    dha- 
naph    le-mine-hou,    wa-iarae 
chitob. 


this  instance  where,  (the  modern  tongues  not  permitting  in  any  fashion 
an  imitation  of  this  hieroglyphic  trope)  I  am  constantly  obliged  to 
put  in  the  simple  past  that  which,  in  Hebrew,  is  in  the  convertible 
future. 

"S "IT*,  shall-spring-forth-plentifully. . . .  The  Samaritan  version  says 

^OTZ  t/fl'S    3fc3T2<V/rt the  waters  shau  emit  pr°^co»y 

in  prolific  emission...  The  Chaldaic  targum  gives  Nrm  N*r:  "C"1"  the 
waters  shall  ferment  a  ferment. . . .  Thus  can  be  seen  that  even  in  the 
literal  sense,  the  Hellenists  have  been  weak,  for  in  saying  ^ayayfru  TO. 
CSaTtt  eprerd,  the  waters  shall  bring  forth  reptiles,  they  have  distorted 
not  only  the  thought,  but  the  expression  of  Moses,  which  has  here  a 
picturesque  forcefulness.  The  verb  yilt"  which  he  employs,  springs 
from  two  contracted  roots  y~~T;  the  first,  T,  composed  of  the  signs 
of  relative  and  proper  movement,  or  circular  and  rectilinear,  indicates 
an  emission,  a  liberation,  a  detachment,  a  separation.  The  second, 
"1,  characterizes  a  sort  cf  movement,  of  vibration,  recommencing  and 
finishing,  reptilian,  being  propagated  by  being  divided:  thus  the  com- 
pound yu  contains  every  idea  of  propagative  emission,  of  motive 
origin,  of  generative  separation.  This  is  the  figurative  and  hiero- 
glyphic meaning.  In  the  literal  sense,  it  is  a  reptilian  movement,  and 
in  a  wholly  restricted  and  materialized  sense,  a  reptile. 

t*',y,  fowl This  expression,  which  depends  still  upon  the  verb 

1S-.2T,  shall-spring-forth,  and  which  is  connected  with  the  substantive 
DV2D,  the  waters,  proves,  as  the  authors  of  the  Samaritan  version  and 
the  Chaldaic  targum  have  very  well  perceived,  that  Moses  regarded 
the  waters  as  specially  charged  with  furnishing  the  first  elements  of 
vital  movement  to  reptilian  and  flying  animals.  The  root  "p,  of  which 
I  spoke  above  and  the  one  now  in  question,  are  both  linked  to  this 
same  motive  principle  designated  by  the  root  T;  but  whereas,  by 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  51 

21.     And -he- did -frame-  21.    Et-il-produisit-et-for- 

out,  HE-the-Being-of-beings,  ma  (il  cr6a),  Lurl'fitre-des- 

the-selfsameness-of  those-  etres  1-existence-individuelle 

huge-bulked-bodies,   the-  d  e-ces-amplitudes-c  o  r  p  o  - 

largest  (flocking  throngs  of  relies    les-grandes    (legions 

enormous  whales)  and-that-  de    monstres    marins),    et- 

of-all-soul    of-life,    trailing-  celle-de-toute-ame      de-vie 

along  and-swimming,  which  mouvante  d'un  mouvement- 

produced-plentifully  the-vva-  contractile,    laquelle    origi- 

ters       after-the-kinds-their-  naient-a-foisons      les-eaux; 

own;     and-that-of-all-quick  selon-1'espece-a-eux ;    et-cel- 

and    strong-winged-fowl,  le-de-tout-volatile    a    1'aile- 

after-the-kind-its-own :  and-  forte-et-rapide,   selon-l'espe- 

he-did-ken,  HE-t  he-Gods,  ce-sienne;   et-il-vit,    LUi-les- 

that-as-good.  Dieux,  cela-ainsi-bon. 


y*") ,  should  be  understood,  a  laborious  movement  attached  to  the 
earth,  by  s-pi\  should  be  seen,  an  easy,  soaring  movement  in  the  air. 
The  one  is  heavy  and  rapid,  the  other  light  and  swift.  Both  receive 
existence  from  the  vital  principle  brought  forth  by  the  waters. 

This  verse  and  the  one  following,  present  in  Hebrew,  a  series  of 
expressions  whose  harmony  and  force  are  inimitable.  The  Samaritan 
version  gives  the  same  impression,  as  the  copy  of  a  picture  by  Raphael 
would  produce  compared  with  the  original. 

v.  21.  CTl-in,  those-huge-bulkcd-bodies This  word  is  derived 

from  the  root  "3,  which  contains  every  idea  of  extension,  of  amplifi- 
cation in  bodies,  whether  in  number  or  in  volume.  This  root,  governed 
by  the  sign  of  reciprocity  n,  is  applied  to  cetacea,  and  in  general,  to 
marine  animals,  either  on  account  of  their  mass,  or  on  account  of 
their  prodigious  fecundity. 

rrnn  rSi,  soul-of-life The  word  EE3,  which  is  used  by  Moses 

to  designate,  in  general,  the  soul  and  the  animating  life  of  being, 
merits  much  more  serious  attention,  as  this  great  man  has  been 
accused  by  very  superficial  writers  who  have  never  read  him,  or  by 
very  prejudiced  sectarians  who  have  read  him  only  to  misunderstand 
him,  of  having  denied  the  existence  of  this  spiritual  essence. 

The   root    from   which    the   word     CCJ     comes,    is   without   doubt 


52  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


22.     Wa-ibarech    aotham     n$  "iDN1?  D'H^X  DHN 
zElohim  Faemor.  phrou  w're- 
bof,   Wmilaou  ith-ha-malm     D'^   POTTO 
ba-iamim  w'ha-hoph  ireb  ba- 
aretz. 


23.     Wa-ihi-herb,    wa-ihi- 
boker,  iom  hamisM. 


material,  for  there  is  no  word  possible,  in  any  tongue  possible,  whose 
elements  are  not  material.  As  I  have  said  in  my  Grammar  it  is  the 
noun  which  is  the  basis  of  speech.  Everytime  that  man  wishes  to  ex- 
press an  intellectual  and  moral  thought,  he  is  obliged  to  make  use  of 
a  physical  instrument,  and  to  take  from  elementary  nature,  material 
objects  which  he  spiritualizes,  as  it  were,  in  making  them  pass,  by 
means  of  metaphor  or  hieroglyphic,  from  one  region  into  another. 

Three  distinct  roots  compose  this  important  word  and  are  worthy 
of  the  closest  attention.  The  first  Si  presents  the  idea  of  an  in- 
spiration, an  infusion,  a  movement  operated  from  without,  within: 
it  is  literally  an  inspiring  breath.  The  second  ~£,  which  is  only 
the  reaction  of  the  first,  is  attached  to  the  idea  of  expansion,  of 
effusion,  of  movement  operated  from  within,  without:  it  is  literally 
the  mouth,  the  expiring  breath,  the  voice,  the  speech,  etc.  The  third 
finally  TEN,  characterizes  the  principiant  principle  of  which  I  have 
already  spoken  in  v.l.  of  this  chapter.  It  is  fire,  and  that  which  is 
igneous,  ardent,  impassioned,  etc. 

Such  is  the  hieroglyphic  composition  of  the  word  E?£X  the  soul, 
which,  formed  of  the  three  roots  US'nS"^,  presents  the  symbolic 
image  of  a  thing  that  the  Egyptian  priests  regarded  as  belonging  to  a 
triple  nature.  This  is  known  to  be  the  idea  of  Pythagoras  and  Plato, 
who  had  drawn  it  from  the  Egyptian  sanctuaries.  Those  priests,  in- 
structors of  Moses,  saw  in  ri ,  the  partie  naturante  of  the  soul,  in  HC 
the  partie  naturee,  and  in  £X,  the  partie  naturelle.  From  this  ele- 
mentary triad  resulted  a  unity  whose  immortality  they  taught,  accord- 
ing to  all  the  ancient  sages. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  53 

22.  And-he-blessed-them,  22.     Et-il-benit-eux,    LUI- 
HE-the-Being-of-beings,  pur-  Ffitre-des-etres,     en-disant: 
suing-to-say :  beget  and-mul-  propagez  et-multipliez-vous, 
tiply,  and-fill  the-waters  in-  et-remplissez  les-eaux,  dans 
the-seas;  and-the-fowl  shall-  les-mers,  et-1'espece-volatile 
multiply  in-the-earth.  se-multipliera  en-la-terre. 

23.  And-there-was-west-  23.     Et-fut-occident,     et- 
eve,and-there-was-east-dawn  fut-orient   (liberation  et  it- 
(over  and  back  again),  day  eration),     jour      cinquieme 

the-fifth,  (light's  fifth  mani-  (cinquieme      manifestation 

festation).  phenomenique). 


The  Hebrew  text,  the  Samaritan  version,  the  Chaldaic  targum,  and 
even  the  Syriac  and  Arabic,  employ  the  same  word;  only,  they  give, 
following  their  genius,  different  significations  to  the  verb  which  is 
formed  of  it.  Among  the  Hebrews,  E'.ci  signifies  to  live  and  breathe; 
among  the  Chaldeans,  to  grow,  to  multiply,  to  fill  space;  the  Samaritan 
verb  ***-^7<5,  expresses  to  dilate,  to  develop,  to  manifest;  the  Syriac 
give  life,  to  heal;  the  Arabic  <&  .  to  expand,  to  evaporate,  etc. 


nrttin,  trailing-along  and^swimming  ----  By  the  word  ~£1 
Moses  intends,  in  general,  all  animal  kind,  the  individuals  of  which 
either  aquatic,  or  terrestrial,  lack  the  exterior  members  which  support 
bipeds  and  quadrupeds,  or  \vhich  serve-  them  only  in  trailing,  after 
the  manner  of  reptiles,  or  swimming,  after  the  manner  of  fishes. 
This  word  proceeds  from  the  root  Eft,  which  expresses  that  which 
touches  itself,  gathers  to  itself,  or  withdraws  into  itself;  a  root  to 
which  the  sign  1  is  used  only  to  give  a  new  motive  force. 

v.22.  wbfel  1211  11C  beget,  and-multiply,  and-fill  ----  Here  are 
the  roots  of  these  three  verbs:  1C,  generative  movement,  in  general;  In 
particular  a  bull,  symbol  of  generation;  in  the  Arabic  \j  ,  a  wild  ass: 
21  that  which  is  great,  abundant,  extended,  either  in  number  or  in 
volume:  "?T2,  that  which  is  full,  that  which  has  attained  its  highest 
elevation.  See,  Had.  Vocab. 

v.23.    All  these  terms  are  understood. 


54          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


24.    Wa-iaomer  ^Elohim, 

±TiJ££  bSu  -vm*nm»r*W 

wa-remesh  w'hai.tho-aeretz  le- 
mine-ha,  wa-lhl-chen. 


25.  Wa-iahash  ^Elohim  pNH  fftj 
jpth-haiath  ha-aretz  le-mine- 
ha,  w'aeth-ha-behemah  le- 
mine-ha,  w'aeth-chol-remesh 
ha-adamah  le-mine-hou,  wa- 
wra  ^Elohlm  chi-tob. 


v.24.   NS'n,  shall-yield-forth See  v.  12. 

n^HD,  quadrupeds That  is  to  say,  according  to  the  idea  of 

Moses,  that  part  of  the  animal  kingdom  whose  individuals  are  neither 
winged  as  birds,  nor  crawling  nor  swimming  as  the  terrestrial  rep- 
tiles or  the  fishes.  For  it  is  obvious  that  this  hierographic  writer 
divides  the  animal  kingdom  into  three  great  series  according  to  the 
locomotive  movement  which  he  points  out  in  the  divers  lands  which 
compose  this  kingdom. 

The  first  of  this  great  series,  comprises  the  animals  of  the  first 
origin,  vermiform,  crawling  upon  the  earth,  swimming  in  the  waters 
or  flying  in  the  air,  which  he  calls,  in  general  ,TH  yiE,  primitive 
life,  vermiform.  He  divides  this  first  series  into  two  kinds:  the 
aquatic  and  the  aerial  kind.  The  first  of  these  kinds,  retains  the 
original  name  yiE?,  that  is  to  say  vermiform;  the  second  is  called 
f]Bl»  *\ft  fowl-flying. 

The  second  of  this  great  series  consists  of  the  animals  of  the  sec- 
ond origin,  which  Moses  designates  in  general,  by  the  name  of  "Tin  C£2 
soul  of  life.  These  are  the  genera  which  are  distinguished  from  the 
first  original  series,  by  their  bulk,  their  strength  and  the  different  re- 
lations which  they  already  have  with  terrestrial  animals.  The  marine 
animals  of  this  series  are  called  C"0"Jn,  the-huge-bulke ^-bodies:  the 
aerials  bear  the  name  of  J-pJJf^,  that  is  to  sa,y,quick-and-strong-winged- 
fowl. 

Finally,  the  third  series  is  composed  of  animals  called,  In  general. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


55 


24.  And-he-said,  HE-the- 
Gods,  shall-yield-forth,  the- 
earth,  a-soul-of-life  (an  ani- 
mality)  accord!  ng-to-the- 
kind-its-own,  quadrupedly- 
walking  and-creeping,  and- 
earthly-living,  after-the-kind 
-its-own :  and-it-was-so. 


25.  And-he-made,  HE-the- 
Gods,  that-life  earth-born, 
according-to-the  -  kind  -  its  - 
own,  and-the-quadruped-ex- 
istence  after  -  the  -  kind  -  its- 
own,  and-all-trailing-along- 
motion  from-the-adamic 
( homogeneal )  -ground,  af  t- 
er-the-kind-its-own ;  and-he- 
did-ken,  HE-the  Being-of-be- 
ings,  that-as-good. 


24.  Et-il-dit,     L  u  i-les- 
Dieux  fera-provenir-la-terre, 
une-ame-de-vie  ( une  animal- 
it6 ) ,       selon-l'espece-sienne, 
quadrupede  (a  la  marche  el- 
ev6e   et    bruyante)    se-mou- 
vant   et-vivant-d'une-vie-ter- 
restre,  selon-l'espece-sienne: 
et-cela-fut-ainsi. 

25.  Et-il-fit,  LUl-les- 
Dieux,    cette-animalite   ter- 
restre,  selon-l'espeee-sienne, 
et-ce-genre-quadrupede  selon 
I'espece   sienne,   et-runiver- 
salite  de-tout-mouvement-vi- 
tal      de-relement-adamique 
(homogene),  selon  1'espece- 
sienne;  et-il-vit,   LUi-1'Etre- 
des-etres,  cela-ainsi-bon. 


yiX""irrn  ,  terrestrial  animality.  In  this  series  are  contained  all 
the  terrestrial  animals  whose  locomotive  movement  is  neither  trailing, 
nor  swimming,  nor  flying;  but  which  is  executed  progressively  by 
the  aid  of  appropriate  members.  This  series  contains  also  two  partic- 
ular genera;  namely,  the  animals  which  creep  along  like  lizards, 
1PE1  ,  and  those  which  support  themselves  like  quadrupeds,  called 
nEHD.  I  have  already  explained  the  first  of  these  names,  which  is 
applied  to  whatever  moves  itself  by  a  trailing  and  contractile  move- 
ment. As  to  the  second,  it  is  formed  from  the  rootKD,  expressing  all 
progressive  and  sustained  movement,  and  from  the  onomatopoeia 
Qn,  which  depicts  that  which  is  raised  and  loud. 

Before  finishing  this  note  I  wish  to  say  that  these  three  classes 
of  animals,  considered  abstractly,  and  under  figure  of  three  moral 
beings,  have  been  named  by  the  Hebrew  poets:  "p^b,  Leviathan; 
that  is  to  say,  the  universality  of  marine  monsters;  "py,  flozan,  the 
universality  of  birds;  and  .T^rO,  Behemoth,  the  universality  of  ter- 
restrial animals.  The  savants  who  sought  for  the  signification  of 


56  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

26.     Wa-iaomer   JElohim 


w'ireddoubi-deggathha-iam- 
w'be-hopli  ha-shamaim,  w'- 
ba-behemah,  w'bechol-ha- 
aretz  w'be-chol-ha-remesh 
ha-roinesh  hal-ha-aretz. 


these  words,  brought  into  their  researches  too  much  scholastic  preju- 
dice to  draw  from  it  any  fruit. 

I  shall  refrain  from  saying  anything  in  regard  to  the  three  grand 
divisions  which  Moses  established  in  the  animal  kingdom;  I  shall 
only  observe  that  there  is  as  much  precision  and  more  true  philosophy 
in  drawing  methodical  distinctions  from  the  kind  of  movement  in 
animals,  as  there  is  in  drawing  these  same  distinctions  from  their 
legs  or  from  the  temperature  of  their  blood. 

v.  25.        ~?2"lXn,  from  the-adamic-ground . , . .     See  following  note. 

v.  26.     0"iX,  Adam I  beg  those  who  are  reading  this  without 

partiality,  to  observe  that  Moses  does  not  fall  here  into  the  modern 
error  which  has  made  of  man  a  particular  species  in  the  animal 
kingdom;  but  only  after  having  finished  all  that  he  wished  to  say  con- 
cerning the  elementary,  the  vegetable  and  the  animal  kingdom,  he 
passes  on  to  a  kingdom  distinct  and  higher  that  he  names  E"iN ,  Adam. 

Among  the  savants  who  have  searched  for  the  etymology  of  the 
word  Adam,  the  majority  went  no  further  than  its  grossest  exterior; 
nearly  all  of  them  have  seen  only  red  clay,  or  simple  clay,  because  the 
word  D*"iK,  signifies  red  or  reddish;  because  by  n^-iN,  the  earth  in 
general,  has  been  understood;  but  they  have  failed  to  see  that  these 
words  themselves  are  compounds,  and  that  they  can  only  be  the  roots 
of  words  still  more  compound;  whereas  the  word  CIS  being  more 
simple  cannot  come  from  it. 

The  Egyptian  priests,  authors  of  this  mysterious  name,  and  of  a 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


57 


26.  And-he-said,  HE-the- 
Gods,  (declaring  his  will) 
we-will-make  Adam  in-the- 
shadow-of-us,  by-the-like- 
making-like-ourselves;  and- 
they-shall-hold-  the  -  sceptre, 
(they  shall  rule,  they,  Adam, 
universal  man )  in-the-spawn 
breeding-kind-  of  -  the  -  seas, 
and-in-the-flying-kind  of-the- 
heavens,  and-in-the  quadrup- 
edly-walking-kind,  and-in- 
the-whole-  earth  -  born  -  life, 
and  -  in  -  all  -  moving  -  thing 
crawling  -  along  upon  -  the  - 
earth. 


26.  Et-il-dit,  LUi-les- 
Dieux  (declarant  sa  volon- 
t6),  nous-ferons  Adam  en- 
ombre-notre,  comformeinent 
-a,  -  Faction  -  assimilante  -  a.  - 
nous :  et  -  ils  -  tiendront  -  le  - 
sceptre,  (ils  regneront,  eux, 
Adam,  F-homme  universel), 
dans-les-poissons  des-mers, 
et  -  dans  -  les  -  oiseaux  des  - 
cieux,  et-dans-le-genre-quad- 
rupede,  et  dans-toute-F 
animalite-terrestre,  et-dans- 
toute-mouvante-vie  se-mou- 
vant-sur-la-terre. 


great  part  of  those  employed  by  Moses,  have  composed  it  with  an  in- 
finite art.  It  presents  three  meanings,  as  do  the  greater  part  of  those 
which  enter  into  the  composition  of  the  Beraeshith.  The  first,  which  is 
the  literal  meaning,  has  been  restricted  more  and  more,  in  proportion 
as  the  ideas  of  the  Hebrews  have  been  narrowed  and  materialized;  so 
that  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  was  understood  in  its  purity  even  at  the 
epoch  of  the  Babylonian  captivity,  at  least  by  the  vulgar.  The  Sam- 
aritan version,  the  most  ancient  of  all,  is  also  the  one  which  conserves 
best  its  signification.  It  is  seen  in  the  efforts  made  by  the  translator 
to  find  a  corresponding  expression.  After  having  copied  the  name 
itself  t35V^  '  ^e  sought  a  synonym  for  it  in  ^***,*J^  •  man;  but 
feeling  that  this  synonym  did  not  render  the  Hebrew,  he  chose  the 
word  ^J^tV1  universal<  infinite:  an  opportune  word  which  proves 
the  anteriority  and  the  superiority  of  the  Samaritan  version  over 
the  Chaldaic  targum;  for  the  author  of  this  targum,  in  interpreting 
Q1X,  does  not  go  beyond  the  material  meaning  and  confines  himself 
constantly  to  the  word  NC'^X.  man.  The  Hellenists  who  follow  quite 
voluntarily  the  Samaritan  have  abandoned  it  on  this  occasion.  They 
would  have  exposed  too  much  the  spiritual  meaning  which  they 
wished  to  hide.  They  were  content  to  copy  the  Chaldaic  and  translate 
C1X,  by  Mpdnrot,  man;  in  which  they  have  been  imitated  by  Saint 
Jerome  and  his  successors. 


58  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

27.    W  a-i  b  e  r  a  ^lohim 
»th-ha-Adam,    be-tzallem-6, 


-6,   zachar  w'nekebah  bara 
aoth'am. 


The  name  given  to  Adam  n"lX  ,  signifies  not  only  "homo,"  man, 
hut  it  characterizes,  as  the  Samaritan  had  clearly  seen  in  rendering 
it  by  ^£2&&'  universaj>  tnat  which  we  understand  by  mankind, 
and  which  we  would  express  much  better  by  saying  kingdom  of 
man:  it  is  collective  man,  man  abstractly  formed  of  the  assemblage  of 
all  men.  This  is  the  literal  meaning  of  D1S . 

The  figurative  meaning  is  indicated  by  the  constant  practice  which 
Moses  follows,  of  making  the  noun  always  accompanied  by  a  verb 
from  the  same  root.  Now  what  is  the  verb  here  which  follows  the 
word  onx  ?  It  is  DIET,  used  constructively  in  the  enunciative 
nominal,  inflected  by  the  assimilative  article  D  and  bearing  the  affix 
of  the  first  person  plural  !Un'itt13  :  that  is  to  say,  word-for-word  and 
grammatically,  conformable-to-our-action-ofiassimilating.  This  -com- 
parison of  the  verb  and  the  noun,  gives  us  the  root  from  which  both 
spring.  This  root  is  C")  which  carries  with  itself  every  idea  of  as- 
similation, of  similitude,  of  homogeneity.  Governed  by  the  sign  of 
power  and  stability  X,  it  becomes  the  image  of  an  immortal  as- 
similation, of  an  aggregation  of  homogeneous  and  indestructible  parts. 
Such  is  the  etymology  of  the  name  Adam,  CIS,  in  its  figurative  sense. 

I  shall  enlarge  less  upon  the  hieroglyphic  meaning,  which  Moses 
allows  nevertheless,  to  be  understood  in  the  same  verse,  and  to  which 
he  makes  allusion,  by  causing  this  same  noun,  which  is  singular,  to 
govern  the  future  plural  verb  111"1  :  quite  contrary  to  the  rule  which 
he  had  followed,  of  making  the  noun  of  the  Being  of  Beings  2*,"ibx 
which  is  plural,  govern  always  the  singular  verb.  The  hieroglyphic 
root  of  the  name  Adam,  C"N  is  "it** ,  which,  composed  of  the  sign  of 
unitary,  principiant  power,  and  that  of  divisibility,  offers  the  image 
of  a  relative  unity,  such  as  might  be  expressed,  for  example,  by 
means  of  the  simple  although  compound  number  10.  This  root  being 
endowed  with  the  collective  sign  D,  assumes  an  unlimited  develop- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  59 

27.  And-he-did-frame-out,  27.     Et-il-crea,       LUi-les- 

HE-the-Gods,    the-self-same-  Dieux,     l'ipseite-d'     Adam 

ness-of-A dam,  (original  sim-  (similitude  premiere,  unit6 

ilitude,  collective  unity,  uni-  collective,  homme  universel) 

versal  man),  in-the-shadow-  en-ombre-si enne,     en-ombre- 

his-own,       in-the-shadow-of  de    Lin-1'Etre-des-etres,     il- 

HiM-the-Being-of  beings,  he-  crea-lui    (Adam) ;  male  et- 

created-him    (Adam) ;  male  femelle    il-crea    1'existence- 

and-female    he-created   the-  universelle-a-eux. 
universal-self-of-them. 


ment:  that  Is  to  say,  the  symbolic  number  10,  being  taken  to  rep- 
resent the  root  IX,  the  sign  CD  will  develop  its  progressive  power  to 
infinity,  as  10;  100;  1000;  10,000,  etc. 

13E/S2  in-the-shadow-universal-ours This  figurative  expres- 
sion, very  difficult  to  render  was  already  materialized  at  the  epoch 
when  the  Samaritan  version  was  written.  Here  is  the  sentence  word- 
for-word. 

"And-he-said,"  HE  GOD,  "let-us- 

,.work_uponAdam>ln_tne_form_ 

"exterior-ours,  and  af  ter-the-ac- 
"tion-ours-of-us-composing." 

The  Chaldaic  targum  copies  the  Hebrew;  but  everything  proves 
that  it  is  misinterpreted.  The  Hellenists  say,  «ar'  etViva,  in  the 
image;  the  Hebraic  root  bs  is  obvious;  it  expresses  always  an  idea 
of  a  shadow  thrown  upon  something,  a  veil,  an  appearance,  a  protection. 
The  collective  sign  D,  which  terminates  the  word  C^U,  universalizes 
its  meaning. 

llTiE'O,  by-the-like-making-like-oursclves I  have  already  ex- 
plained the  root  of  this  verb  and  its  composition. 

v.  27  r»2pJ1  "DT,  male  and  female The  root  of  the  first 

of  these  words  is  ID,  which  expresses  that  which  is  apparent,  emi- 
nent; that  which  serves  as  monument  or  as  character,  to  preserve 
the  memory  of  things.  It  is  the  elementary  root  IK  united  to  the 
assimilative  sign  3,  and  ruled  by  the  demonstrative  sign  f. 

The  second  of  these  words  has  for  root  Dp,  whose  meaning,  en- 
tirely opposed  to  that  of  ID,  is  applied  to  that  which  is  hidden  and 
not  apparent;  to  that  which  is  graven,  hollowed  out,  enveloped.  The 
sign  J  which  rules  it  is  the  image  of  passive  action. 


THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


28.  Wa-ibarech  aoth'am  DrY?  iptf*}  D'ri^  DflN  Tpy} 
^Elohim,  wa-iaomer  la-hem 
^Elohim,  phrou  w'reboil 
w'milaou  seth-ha-aretz  w'dhi- 
beshu-ha,  w'redoii  bi-deg- 
gath  ha-iam  w'bi-hoph  ha- 
shamaim,  w' bi-chol-haiah  ha- 
romesheth  hal-ha-aretz. 


29.     Wa-iaomer  JElohim,  Dp1-)  »^nj  fiSTl 

h  i  n  n  e  h  nathathi  la-chem  .           T       . 

aeth-chol-hesheb    zoreha   ze-  '?  *?  *ll  *  »' 

rah  asher  ha  1-phenei  chol-ha-  ^n  ^ 

aretz,     w'aeth-chol     ha-hetz  " ' 

asher-b'6  pheri,  hetz  zoreha  ^??  ^J  *$  i  *  '")? 
aerah  la-chem  ihieh  la-ache- 
lah. 


30.  W'1-chol-haiah  ha- 
aretz,  w'l'-chol-hoph  ha-sha- 
maiin,  wTchol-romesh  hal- 
ha-aretz,  asher  b'6  nephesh  pT^^TIN  n*n 
haiah,  seth-chol  ierek  hesheb 
1'achelah,  wa-ihi-chen. 


It  must  be  observed  that  the  verb      Kr2,  *o  create,  which  in  the 
Hebrew  text,  expresses  the  action  of  the  Supreme  Being  creating  man 
male  and   female,   is   rendered   in  the   Samaritan  version   by  yp% 
which,  as  can  be  judged  by  the  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic  analogue       ^3, 
preserved  in  Syriac  and  Ethiopic,  signifies  to  identify,  to  naturalize. 

v.  28.  ""0*1,  and-he-blessed . . . .  The  root  ~"i  contains  the  idea  of 
bending,  of  extenuation,  of  feeling  compassion,  physically  as  well  as 
morally.  This  root,  become  verb,  signifies  in  the  Samaritan 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


61 


28.  And-he-blessed    the- 
self-sameness-of-them    (uni- 
versal) HE-the-Gods,  and-he- 
said  unio-them:  beget  and- 
multiply  and-fill  the-earth; 
and-subdue-it,   and-hold-the 
sceptre  (rule)  in-the-fish  of- 
the-seas,  and-in-the-fowl  of- 
heavens,      and-in-all-life 
crawling-along     u  p  o  n-the- 
earth. 

29.  And-he-said,  HE-the- 
Being-of-beings :  behold!     I- 
h  a  v  e-giveoi-unto-you   t  h  e- 
whole    grass    seed-yielding- 
seed  which-is  upon-the-face 
of-all-the-earth,  and-the-veg- 
etable-substance     which-has 
in-itself     fruit;     substance 
seed-y  i  e  1  d  i  n  g-seed  to-you 
shall-be-for  food. 

30.  And-unto-all-animal- 
ity  earth-born,  and-unto  all- 
fowl    of-heavens,    and-unto- 
all-moving-life  creeping- 
along  upon-the-earth,  which 
has-in-i  t  s  e  1  f  an-animated- 
breath-and-living,     (I    have 
given )     the- whole    verdant 
grass   for-food :   and-it-was- 
so. 


28.  Et-il-benit  1'existence- 
universelle-a-eux,       LUi-les- 
Dieux,    et-il-dit-a-eux :    en- 
gendrez     et-multipliez     et- 
remplissez  la-terre  et-capti- 
vez-la,  et-tenez-le-gouvernail 
( regnez )        dans-le-poisson 
des-mers,       et-dans-1'oiseau 
des-cieux,        et-dans-toute- 
chose     mouvante-d'un-mou- 
veraent-vital   sur-la-terre. 

29.  Et-il-dit,    LUi-1'fitre- 
des-etres;  voici!  J'ai-donne- 
a-vous     en-totalite     Therbe 
germinant-g  e  r  m  e     qui-est 
sur-la-face  de-toute-la-terre, 
et-en-totalit6     la-substance- 
vegetale  qui-a-dans-soi  fruit; 
substance  germinant-germe, 
a-vous  sera  pour-alinient. 

30.  Et-a-toute-vie    de-la- 
terre,  et-a-tout-volatile  des- 
cieux,    et-a-tout-etre    repti- 
forme-se-t  r  a  1  n  a  n  t  sur-la- 
terre,  qui-a  dans-soi  souffle- 
anim6    de-vie,     (j'ai-donne) 
en-t  o  t  a  1  i  t  6  la-verdoyante 
herbe  pour  aliment :  et-cela- 
fut-ainsi. 


or  in  the  Arabic  \Tj ,  the  action  of  bending,  of  extending  the 
hands  over  someone.  It  is,  by  employing  this  word  with  the  paternal 
sign  2,  image  of  active  and  interior  action,  that  the  verb  T]ii2 
to  bless,  has  been  formed;  properly  speaking,  it  is  to  lay  on  the  hands 
with  a  paternal  sentiment  of  tenderness  and  kindness. 


62  THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTOKED 

31.  Wa-iarae  2Elohim  aeth- 
chol-asher  w'hinneh-tob  ma- 
6d,  wa-ihi-hereb,  wa-ihi-bo- 
ker,  idm-ha-shishi. 


v.  29.       yjJ,  vegetable-substance .      This  important  word  which 

the  Hellenists  have  rendered  by  &\ov,  wood,  will  be  explained  further 
on,  when  it  will  be  more' essential  to  penetrate  its  real  meaning. 

H^3X,  food This  word  will  also  be  explained   in  its  place. 

v.  30.  It  should  be  observed  in  this  verse,  that  the  Supreme  Being, 
speaking  of  the  food  accorded  to  animals,  makes  no  mention  of  the 
substance  yjj,  of  which  he  had  spoken  in  the  preceding  verse  with 
respect  to  man.  The  very  profound  reason  for  this  reticence  will  later 
on  be  shown. 

v.  31.     *ttto,   as-much-as-possiWe That   is   to   say,    filling   its 

fixed  and  determined  unity,  its  whole  measure.  This  word  springs  from 
the  root  IN,  in  or  in  ,  unity,  the  power  of  divisibility.  It  is  gov- 
erned by  the  determining,  local  and  plastic  sign,  72. 


COSMOGONY  OP  MOSES 


63 


31.  And-he-did-ken,  HE- 
the-Gods,  the-whole-that-he- 
had-made,  and-lo!  good  as- 
much-as-possible  (in  its  own 
nature)  :  and  -  there  -  was  - 
west-eve,  and-there-was-east- 
dawn  (over  and  back 
again), day the-sixth  (light's 
sixth  manifestation). 


31.  Et-il-vit,  LUl-les-Di- 
eux,  ce-tout  lequel  il-avait- 
fait,  et-voici!  bon  autant- 
que-possible  (selon  sa  me- 
sure),  et-fut-occident,  et-fut- 
orient  (liberation  et  itera- 
tion) jour  sixieme  (sixieme 
manifestation  phenom6ni- 
que). 


I  have  not  dwelt  upon  the  Hebrew  words  which  enter  into  the 
composition  of  the  last  verses  of  this  chapter,  because  they  offer  no 
grammatical  difficulty.  I  might  have  expatiated  at  length,  if  I  had 
wished  to  comment  upon  them;  but,  for  the  moment,  it  is  enough  to 
re-establish  the  meaning  of  the  words  and  to  explain  what  may  have 
been  obscure,  without  examining  in  particular  all  the  inferences  that 
might  be  drawn. 


64  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


SEPHER  BER^SHITH  «,  3  rWK*lD   TDD 

B. 


1.      Wa-ichulou     ha-sha-     -^^  J^^CO  D'E^'Jl 
maim    w'ha-aretz,     w'chol- 
tzeba'am.  : 


2.    Wa-ichal  .Elohlm  ba-     >#»n#n  D1»3 
iom  ha-sheblhi  melacheth-6 
asherhaSah,wa-lshebothba-    JW'1-   "97 
iom  ha-shebihi  mi-chol  mila- 
cheth-6  asher  hashah. 


v.  1.  !)V3"1,  and-(shall  become) -thus-were-wholly-finished. ...  This 
is  the  verb  H^3,  employed  according  to  the  passive  movement 
of  the  enunciative  form,  convertible  future.  The  word  b?,  the 
whole,  from  which  it  is  derived,  is  composed  of  the  assimilative  sign 
D,  united  to  the  root  "p3,  containing  the  idea  of  that  which  is 
raised,  stretched  to  infinity,  without  limits.  It  is  important  to  ob- 
serve here,  the  future  tense  turned  to  the  past.  This  trope  is  hierogly- 
phic. 

The  Samaritan  makes  use  of  the  verb  2»"rV''  * 
achieve,  employed  according  to  the  reflexive  form 
they  were  achieved;  they  were  made  perfect.  That  which  is  always  at- 
tached to  the  idea  contained  in  the  initial  word  rrEN'lD,  and  marks 
a  successive  development,  a  passing  from  power  into  action. 

ENDS,  and-the-ruling-law-of-them This  remarkable  word 

has  not  been  understood  by  any  of  the  translators.  The  Hellenists 
have  said  6  «c6o-/«)i,  and  the  Latins  "ornatus."  The  Samaritans  have 

translated  *Ti/]f ^9 >)T .  the  parts,  the  divisions,  the  distributions. 
The  Chaldaic  targum  reads  JttWt,  the  force,  the  universal  faculty, 
the  army.  This  is  only  the  material  meaning. 

The  roots  of  the  Hebrew  word  employed  in  this  place  by  Moses, 
are  is,  which  contains  within  itself  every  idea  of  order,  of  com- 
mandment, of  direction  impressed  toward  an  end,  and  2X,  which 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  65 

GENESIS  II  COSMOGONIE  II 


1.  And- (shall     become) 
thus-  were  -  wholly  -  finished 
( completed )       the  -  heavens 
and-the-earth,  and-the-whole 
ruling  -  law  -  of  -  them    (ele- 
mentizing  nature). 

2.  And-he-fulfilled,     HE- 
the-Gods,  in-the  light's  man- 
ifestation-the-seventh,     the- 
sovereign-work    (act  of  his 
almighty  power)    which-he- 
had-performed ;      and-he-re- 
stored-himself,  (he  returned 
in  his  former  divine  self)  in- 
t  h  e-1  i  g  h  t'  s-manifestation 
the-seventh,  from-the-whole- 
sovereign-work  -  which  -  he  - 
had-performed. 


1.  Et-(seront)     ainsi-fu- 
rent  -  accomplis     ( totalises, 
parfaits)      les-cieux     et-la- 
terre,  et-toute  Pordonnance- 
conductrice-a-eux  (la  nature 
rSgulatrice). 

2.  Et-il-accomplit,     LUI- 
les-Dieux,  dans  la-manifes- 
tation-phenomenique  la-sep- 
tieme,  Tacte-souverain  qu'il- 
avait-exerce ;  et-il-se-restitua 
(il  se  retablit  dans  son  in- 
effable seit6)    la-manifesta- 
tion -  lumineuse  -  universelle 
la-septieme,  apres-tout-1'acte 
-de-sa-souveraine-puiissance, 
qu'il-avait-exerc6. 


expresses  every  organizing  and  efficient  will.  The  entire  word  NDiZ  is 
related  to  law,  to  innate,  principiant  force,  to  universal  nature  finally, 
which  being  developed  with  the  universe,  must  lead  it  from  power  into 
action,  and  raise  it  from  development  to  development  to  its  absolute 
perfection. 


v.  2.  iroxbtt,  the-sovereign-work....  The  Samaritan  is  the  sole 
translator  who  has  understood  that  this  word,  '"fllVLiJfT?  "T»signifles 
a  sovereign  work  accompanied  with  all  royal  majesty.  The  Hebrew 
word  is  obviously  derived  from  the  verb  Jjfttt  to  rule,  whose 
etymology  I  have  explained  sufficiently  in  my  Grammar  (ch. 
VII.  §2). 


and-he-restored  himself....  This  is  the  root  212?,  con- 
taining in  itself  the  idea  of  every  kind  of  re-establishment,  of 
return  to  a  primitive  state,  united  to  the  sign  n,  which  is  that  of 
sympathy  and  of  reciprocity,  sign  par  excellence,  and  image  of  per- 


66          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
3.      Wa-ibaredh    JElohim     'ITDn  Dl'Tltf 


mi-chol-melacheth-6      asher     DTI1?}* 
bara  ^Elohim,  Ia-hash6th. 


4.    ^Elleh  th6-ledoth  ha-         tfrn  DWH  JTh'n 


IH6AH  ^EloMin  aeretz  w'sha- 
maim. 


fection.  The  translators  who  have  seen  in  this  verb  the  idea  of  resting, 
have  not  understood  the  Hebrew.  The  error  concerning  this  word  has 
been  general,  and  the  Samaritan  has  been  unfortunate  enough  to  render 

it  by  ,^V3  •  wnicn  signifies  to  rest  idle,  as  can  be  seen  by  the  Chal- 
daic  Va2,  and  the  Arabic  jk,  ,  which  have  the  same  meaning. 

"yDUn,  t he-sevent h . . . .  This  is  the  number  of  complete  resti- 
tution, of  cyclic  fullness.  It  is  true  that  yiv  signifies  seven,  and  that 
"yOU  can  be  taken  for  seventh  or  septenary;  but  the  name  of  this 
number  draws  with  it  in  the  Hebraic  tongue,  the  idea  of  the  con- 
summation of  things,  and  of  the  fullness  of  times.  One  of  the  roots 
of  which  it  is  composed  31$,  and  of  which  I  am  about  to  speak,  ex- 
presses the  idea  of  return  to  the  place  from  which  one  had  departed, 
and  the  one  which  is  joined  to  it  by  contraction  15? ,  indicates  every 
kind  of  curve,  of  inversion,  of  cycle. 

The  Hebrews  make  use  of  the  verb  3?132?,  to  express  the  oath  by 
virtue  of  which  they  affirm  that  a  thing  promised  will  be  fulfilled. 

All  names  of  number  have,  in  Hebrew,  particular  and  often  very 
deep  significations:  the  abundance  of  new  things  upon  which  I  was 
obliged  to  dwell  in  beginning,  has  forced  me  to  neglect  them;  but  as 
soon  as  I  shall  have  more  leisure,  I  shall  make  amends  for  my  silence 
in  this  respect,  as  well  as  in  some  others. 

v.  3.    All  these  terms  have  been  explained. 

v.  4.      rvhHn  toe     sign of    the    .progenies The     root    1n 

contains  every  idea  of  sign,  of  symbol,  of  hieroglyphic  character:  it  is 
taken,  in  a  restricted  sense,  for  the  same  thing  symbolized,  and  for 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


67 


3.  And-he-blessed,      HE- 
the-Gods,    that-day    the-sev- 
enth   (seventh  light's  mani- 
festation) ;  and-he-did-sanc- 
tify      its-selfsameness,      be- 
cause-that  in-it,  he-reestab- 
lished-himself  (he  returned 
into  his  unspeakable  self), 
from  -  the  -  sovereign  -  work 
whereby  he-created,  HE-the- 
Being-of-beings,     according 
to-his-performing. 

4.  Such-is-the-sign  (sym- 
bolical  monument )  -  of  -  the 
progenies  of-the-heavens  and 
-of-the-earth,   in-their-being- 
created  -  them   at  -  the  -  day, 
( light's   manifestation )    of- 
the-producing  of-lHOAH,  HE- 
the-Being-of-beings,     earth- 
and  heavens. 


3.  Et-il-b£nit,       LUi-les- 
Dieux,    ce-jour    le-septieme 
(s  e  p  t  i  e  m  e  manifestation 
ph6nom6nique)  ;  et-il-sancti- 
fia       l'existence-sienne-a-ja- 
mais,  a-cause-que  dans-elle, 
il-se-restitua     ( il    retourna 
dans    son    ineffable    seit£). 
apres-tout  -Pacte  -  souverain 
durant     Iequel-il-avait-cr6e, 
Ln-l'fitre-des-etres,  s  e  1  o  n- 
l'action-de-faire-a-lui. 

4.  Tel-est-le-signe  (1'em- 
bleme,   le  monument  sacre, 
hieroglyphique)   des-gene>a- 
tions  -  des  -  cieux  et  -  de  -  la- 
terre,      dans-1'acte      d'etre- 
crees-eux,  au-jour  (la  mani- 
festation   lumineuse)     de-P 
action-de-faire       de-lHOAH, 
LUi-1'fitre-des-^tres,  la-terre 
et-les-cieux. 


that  which  serves  to  symbolize:  it  is  then,  a  narration,  a  fable,  a 
speech,  a  table,  a  book,  etc.  The  Samaritan,  Hellenist  and  Arabic 
translators  have  expressed  in  some  degree  this  important  word  which 
the  Latins  have  neglected  absolutely. 

mrr,      IHOAH This  is  the  proper  name  that  Moses  gives  to 

GOD.  It  appears  here  for  the  first  time,  and  only  when  the  Being  of 
beings,  having  accomplished  the  sovereign  act  whose  thought  he  had 
conceived,  re-establishes  himself  in  his  Immutable  Seity.  This  name 
is  never  pronounced  by  modern  Jews  in  their  synagogues,  the  majority 
attaching  thereunto  great  mysteries,  and  especially  the  rabbis  whom 
we  name  Kabbalists,  on  account  of  the  Hebraic  word  H'  2  T ,  the 
transmission.  By  this  word,  they  understand  the  oral  law  left  by 
Moses  and  claim  to  be  the  guardians  of  it:  which  is  true  only  of  a 
very  small  part  of  them.  I  shall  relate  presently  why  both  of  these, 
who  always  read  the  Hebraic  books  without  points,  refuse  to  pronounce 


68  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


5.     W'dhol  shlah  ha-she-  n'JT   D"1CD 
dah    terem    ihieh    ba-aretz 

w'dhol  hesheb  ha-shadeh  te-  DT?  "T?0 

rem  itzemath  chi-loa  hime-  j-p(-ft  "PtppH 
tlr  IHOAH  vElohim  hal-ha-       T   : 

aretz,  w'Adam  aln  la-habod  P»    D"K?1 
aeth-ha-adamlah. 


this  name.  Let  us  now  analyze  it  and  see  with  what  infinitely  mar- 
vellous art  it  has  been  composed  by  Moses,  or  by  the  ancient  sages 
who  have  communicated  it  to  him. 

This  noun  offers  first,  the  sign  indicative  of  life,  doubled,  and 
forming  the  essentially  living  root  nn.  This  root  is  never  used  as 
noun,  and  it  is  the  only  one  which  enjoys  this  prerogative.  It  Is,  in 
its  formation,  not  only  a  verb,  but  an  unique  verb,  of  which  all  the 
other  are  only  derivatives:  it  is  in  short,  the  verb  n*n  to-be-being. 
Here,  as  can  be  seen,  and  as  I  have  taken  pains  to  explain  in  my  Gram- 
mar, the  sign  of  intelligible  light  1,  is  in  the  middle  of  the  root  of 
life.  Moses,  taking  this  verb  par  excellence,  to  form  the  proper  name 
of  the  Being  of  beings,  adds  the  sign  of  potential  manifestation  and  of 
eternity  to  it,  and  he  obtains  nVP  ,  IHOAH,  in  which  the  facultative 
being,  is  found  placed  between  a  past  without  origin  and  a  future  with- 
out limit.  This  wonderful  noun  therefore,  signifies  exactly,  the-Being- 
who-is-who-was-and-who-will-be. 


Sometimes  this  noun  is  written  .Tlnx  ^EHOAH,  and  in  this  case, 
the  sign  of  potentiality  is  substituted  for  that  of  duration.  It  becomes 
much  more  mysterious  as  first  person  of  the  future,  replacing  the  third, 
and  seems  to  belong  only  to  the  being  which  bears  it  and  by  which  It 
is  uttered;  then  it  signifies,  I-the-BeinfMcho-is-who-was-and-who-will-be. 

The   Samaritan  version   does   not  alter  in   the   least  this   Divine 

Name  which  it  renders  by  ^CJ^frtf  .  The  Chaldaic  targum  renders  it 
by  w,  the  three  Eternities,  or  the  Eternity  of  eternities.  The 
Syriac  has  JL^o  .  and  the  Greek,  wJptot,  both  of  which  mean  Lord, 
or  rather  according  to  its  etymology,  the  Glorious  and  the  Lumi- 
nous. 

Now,  let  us  approach  the  delicate  question  of  knowing  why  the 
Jews  of  the  synagogues  and  the  kabbalistic  rabbis  either  refrain  from 
pronouncing  it,  or  make  a  mystery  of  its  pronunciation. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  69 

5.  And-all-the-produce  of-  5.  Et-toute-la-conception- 

nature  before  it-will-be  in-  de-la-nature,  avant-qu'elle- 

the-earth ;  and-all-the-grow-  existera  en-la-terre ;  et-toute 

ing-grass  of-nature,  before-  -la-vegetation-de-la  -  nature, 

it-will-grow:  because-of-not  avant-qu'elle-germera :  car- 

causing-to-rain  IHOAH,  HE-  non-faire  pleuvoir  IHOAH, 

-the-Gods,  upon-the-earth ;  Lurles-Dieux,  sur-la-terre ; 

smd-Adam  (collective  man)  et-Adam  (1'homme  univer- 

not-being-existing  to-labour  sel)  non-etre  (non-exister 

t  h  e-a  d  a  m  i  c-self sameness  en  acte)  pour-travailler  la- 

(homogeneal  ground).  substance-adamique  (T616- 

ment  homogene,  similaire  a 

Adam). 


If  one  recalls  what  I  have  said  in  my  Grammar  pertaining  to  the 
hardening  of  the  vowels,  and  their  transformation  into  consonants  (ch. 
II.  §.  2),  he  will  not  be  far  from  the  idea  which  I  have  disclosed  con- 
cerning the  ravage  that  this  revolution  had  brought  about  in  the  primi- 
tive signification  of  words.  Now,  the  most  important  of  all  the  vocal 
sounds,  those  whose  meaning  is  the  most  spiritual,  "i  •  and  ",  are  also 
those  which  are  most  easily  influenced  by  this  revolution,  and  upon 
which  It  operates  the  greatest  changes.  The  changes  are  such,  that 
these  spiritual  signs,  becoming  materialized  in  the  name  given  to  GOD 
by  Moses,  this  name  (pronounced  Jehovah,  according  to  the  Ghaldaic 
punctuation  n*MT; ) ,  is  far  from  expressing  the  divine  perfections 
which  I  have  stated,  and  signifies  no  more  than  a  calamity,  an  unfortu- 
nate existence,  whose  origin  or  whose  limit  is  unknown:  for  such  is 
the  meaning  of  the  word  Pill"! ,  materialized,  as  one  can  be  convinced 
by  opening  the  first  Hebrew  lexicon. 

This  is  the  reason,  known  or  unknown,  why  the  Jewish  people  are 
not  permitted  to  utter  this  Name,  and  why  only  the  writings  without 
points  are  admitted  in  the  synagogues;  inasmuch  as  the  pronunciation 
which  results  from  these  points,  alters  sometimes  the  original  signifi- 
cation of  the  -words,  rendering  thejm  unrecognizable. 

As  my  intention  is  not  to  profane  the  secrets  of  any  sect,  I  desire 
that  those  which  I  have  disclosed  thus  far,  or  which  I  shall  reveal  as 
we  go  on,  will  disturb  no  one.  If  contrary  to  my  expectation,  some 
sectarians  are  found  who  might  take  offense  at  the  publicity  which  I 
give  to  certain  mysteries,  I  repeat  to  them  what  I  have  already  inti- 


70  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

6.     W'aBd  iahaleh  min-a-     np#rfl 

' 


mated,  that  since  I  did  not  receive  them  from  any  person  nor  from  any 
society,  and  have  acquired  them  by  my  own  studies  alone,  I  can  publish 
them  without  betraying  any  kind  of  oath. 

v.  5.  PPE?,  t he-produce — .  By  this  word  should  be  understood 
all  creative  travail.  It  springs  from  the  root  ffiZ? ,  which  expresses  the 
effort  of  the  soul  toward  any  goal  whatsoever.  The  facultative  niE, 
which  comes  from  it,  signifies  to  be-producing  or  uttering  one's 
thoughts,  whether  by  travail,  or  by  speech.  The  Hellenists,  and  Saint 
Jerome  who  has  followed  them,  have  seen  in  this  word  only  a  tender 
herb,  a  shrub;  x\&por  OT  "virgultum,"  a  young  shoot. 

rVTOPI.  of-nature Following  this  same  idea,  these  translators 

have  seen  in  the  word  r~i~HS ,  applied  to  generative  and  fostering 
Nature,  only  a  field,  thus  taking  the  Hebraic  word  in  its  most  material 
and  most  restricted  meaning.  But  how,  in  this  energetic  expression 
composed  of  the  contracted  roots  *""**?,  of  which  the  first  1£ 
contains  the  idea  of  equality  and  distributive  equity,  and  the  second 
"T  that  of  abundance;  how,  I  say,  can  they  not  recognize  Nature, 
always  ready  to  load  men  with  her  gifts?  How  fail  to  see  in  the  word 
1E?r  mammal,  her  sacred  symbol  among  the  Egyptians?  How,  with 
only  the  slightest  attention  are  they  unable  to  perceive  that  the  name 
of  "~12?,  given  to  GOD  Himself  to  express  his  munificence  and  the 
abundance  of  his  gifts,  could  not  be  directly  formed  from  that  of  a  field, 
but  from  that  of  Nature?  Besides  if  one  examines  the  corresponding 
idioms,  he  will  see  that  the  Chaldaic  X~r  signifies  fusion;  profusion, 
ejaculation;  that  the  Syriac  J>JL«.,  characterizes  fortune,  the  demon 
of  the  earth;  the  state  or  nature  of  things;  that  the  Arabic  j&  or 
o,oi  indicates  that  which  is  constant,  firm  in  its  progress;  that 
which  is  abundant,  nourishing;  that  the  Ethiopia  fl££  (shadi) 
expresses  benignity,  good  nature,  etc.  When  one  ponders  upon  these 
things  he  can  only  believe,  that  the  Jews  of  Alexandria,  the  Essenes, 
if  they  had  not  had  very  strong  reasons  for  suppressing  the  truth, 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  71 

6.    But-a-virtual-effluence        6.     Mais-une  -  6manation- 

went-up  from-out  the-earth,  virtuelle  s'elevait-avec-ener- 

and-bedewed  that-the-whole-  gie    du-seiD    de-la-terre    et- 

face  of-the-adamic  (homoge-  abreuvait  cette-toute-la-face 

neal  ground).  de  I'el&nent-adamique. 


would  never  have  rendered  the  word  me,  terminated  here  with  the 
emphatic  article  ."!  sign  of  life,  by  the  Greek  word  ayp6t,  a  field. 

]*X   C1S1,    and- Adam-not-being It    is    assuredly    difficult    to 

read  attentively  this  verse  without  finding  the  convincing  proof,  that 
the  figurative  meaning  given  to  the  initial  word  rPEX"Q  is  of 
rigorous  exactitude,  and  that  it  is  indeed,  only  in  principle,  that  the 
Being  of  beings  had  at  first  determined  the  creation  of  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  containing  them  VQ1  Tin ,  in  contingent  power  of 
being,  in  another  power  of  being.  It  would  seem  that  Moses,  wishing 
to  make  this  profound  truth  clearly  understood,  has  written  designedly 
the  beginning  of  this  chapter.  In  the  first  verse,  he  speaks  of  the 
natural  law  CN23i  which  must  lead  this  creation  of  power  in  action 
to  its  highest  development.  He  repeats  carefully  several  times,  that 
this  creation  has  been  made  niEyb  according  to  the  efficient  action 
of  C*ribN  rVirv  IHOAH,  the  Being  of  beings.  Finally  he  gives  the 
word,  and  says  openly,  that  every  conception  of  productive  Nature 
had  been  created  before  Nature  existed,  and  all  vegetation,  before  any- 
thing had  germinated;  furthermore,  after  having  announced  the  for- 
mation of  Adam,  he  declared  expressly  that  Adam  did  not  exist, 

]*#  mxi. 

It  is  true  that  the  Hellenist  translators  have  wished  to  see  in  the 
natural  law,  where  the  Samaritan  version  and  the  Chaldaic  targum 
at  least,  see  an  acting  force,  and  a  host,  only  an  embellishment, 
ic6fffiot ,  and  in  the  conception  of  productive  nature,  only  an  herb 
of  the  field,  x\wp6i'  dypov  :  but  no  doubt  they  had  their  reasons 
for  that;  as  well  as  for  making  the  Being  of  beings  say  voffrrut 
let  us  make  man,  instead  of  we  will  make  Adam,  D1X  ri 
as  is  given  in  the  original  text,  which  is  very  different.  The 
determined  resolution  of  veiling  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Sepher, 
and  above  all  of  the  Beraeshith,  placed  them  at  every  turn  in  difficult 
positions  and  forced  them  to  distort  the  clearest  phrases.  A  single 
word  badly  disguised  would  have  been  sufficient  to  make  their  prepara- 
tions crumble  away.  They  preferred  to  risk  the  grossest  mistransla- 


72          THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTORED 


7.    Wa-iitzer  IH6AH  Mlo-     DltfTn^  DTfttf  JTirT  IVs! 
him    SBth-ha-Adam    haphar 
min  ha-adamah  w'iphah  bi-    ?f*?  ™1 
aphi-6  nishemath  haiim  wa-     tt'fl^  D1NH 
iehi     ha-Adam     le-nephesh 
haiah. 


tions  and  make  Moses  fall  into  palpable  contradictions,  rather  than  ex- 
pose its  mysteries. 

What,  for  example,  could  be  more  incoherent  than  what  they 
made  him  say?  According  to  their  version,  man,  already  created  in 
v.  26  of  the  preceding  chapter,  does  not  exist  in  v.  6  of  this  one;  and 
presently  in  v.  7,  this  same  man  copies  to  be  created  anew.  How 
can  this  be? 

The  first  creation  takes  place  only  in  principle.  The  days,  or  the 
luminous  manifestations,  are  only  the  efficient  epochs,  the  phenomenal 
phases;  Moses  states  it  in  a  manner  so  precise  that  one  must  volun- 
tarily close  the  eyes  in  order  not  to  see  its  light.  The  conception  of 
Nature  had  been  created  before  Nature  itself;  the  vegetation  before  the 
vegetable;  Adam  was  not.  The  Being  of  beings  had  said  only,  we  will 
make  Adam;  and  Adam,  universal  man  had  been  made  in  power. 
Soon  he  appears  in  action,  and  it  is  by  him  that  effective  creation  be- 
gins. Profound  Mystery!  upon  which  I  shall  endeavour  to  throw  as 
much  light  as  is  possible. 

n?2"lX;vnX     the-adamic-self 'sameness This     word     which     is 

formed  from  that  of  Adam,  and  partakes  of  all  its  significations,  figura- 
tively as  well  as  hieroglyphically,  has  undergone  continuous  restrictions, 
until  it  signifies  only  the  earth,  properly  speaking;  in  the  same  manner 
that  one  has  been  brought  to  see  in  mX ,  universal  man,  the  kingdom 
of  man,  only  a  material  man  of  flesh  and  blood.  The  name  of  Adam, 
being  well  understood,  leads  the  mind  easily  to  that  of  Adamah,  its 
elementary  principle,  homogeneous  earth,  and  like  unto  Adam;  primi- 
tive earth,  very  far  from  that  which  is  obvious  to  our  senses,  and  as 
different  from  the  earth,  properly  so-called,  as  intelligible,  universal 
man,  BIX  ,  is  different  from  particular  and. corporeal  man,  ETiJX  « 

v.  6.      "1X1  ,  But-a-virtual-effluence The  Hellenists  have  seen  in 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  73 

7.    And-he-formed  (fram-  7.     Et-il-forma   (substan- 

ed,  eleinentized  for  an  ever-  tialisa,   en  determinant  les 

lasting  end)  IHOAH,  HE-the-  elements  vers  un  but)  IHO 

Being  -  of  -  beings,  the  -  self-  AH,     LUI  -  Pfitre  -  des  -  etres, 

sameness   of- Adam    (collec-  Fips&te   d'Adam    (1'homme 

tive      man ) ,      by-rarefying  universel )      en-r  a  r  6  fi  a  n  t 

(sublimating  the  principle)  (sublimant  le  principe)  de- 

of-the-adamic     (homogeneal  I'element-adamique ;  et-il-in- 

ground)  ;       and-he-inspired  spira  dans  Ia-facult6-inspir- 

into-the-inspiring-faculty-of  ante-a-lui     un-etant-6 1  e  v  £ 

him,  a-being-exalted  (an  es-  (une  essentiality)   des-vies; 

sence)  of-the-lives,  for-being  a    fin-qu'il-fut    cet-homme- 

-made      Adam      (collective  universel     (Adam)     selon-P 

man )     according-to-the-soul  ame-vivante. 
of-life. 


,  a  fountain,  as  has  also  Saint  Jerome.  It  would  be  difficult 
to  disparage  more  the  expression  of  Moses.  This  expression,  in  the 
figurative  sense  in  \vhich  it  must  be  taken,  indicates  every  kind  of  force, 
of  faculty,  by  means  of  which  any  being  whatsoever  manifests  its 
power  exteriorly;  a  good  power  if  it  is  good,  and  bad  if  it  is  bad. 

One  finds  in  the  Arabic  al  or  J.1  signifying  force,  power,  vigour; 
the  victory  which  follows  them:  a  thing  unprecedented,  happy  or  sad, 

an  emanation  sympathetic  or  evil.  Val  is  the  thing  produced;  ^ 
the  productive  thing,  the  instrument.  In  Samaritan,  tfiiu  ,  in  Ethiopic 
J\JJ»  (ad)  both  signify  the  hand,  instrument  of  man,  symbol  of  his 
power.  The  Syriac  says  J^},  and  the  Chaldaic  T.  The  Hebrew 
also  says  T  the  hand:  this  word,  ruled  by  the  sign  of  power  and 
stability  X  ,  becomes  TX ,  that  is  to  say,  every  corroboration,  every 
virtual  emanation,  every  faculty,  good  or  evil,  according  to  the  being 
by  which  it  is  produced. 

If  one  takes  this  last  word  TX,  and  in  order  to  give  it  an  hierogly- 
phic sense,  eliminates  the  sign  of  manifestation  " ,  the  word  "IN  ,  pre- 
serving all  the  acceptations  of  the  radical  TX  will  become  purely  in- 
telligible; it  will  be,  as  I  have  translated  it,  a  virtual  emanation.  Moses 
has  employed  it  in  this  sense.  But  this  sense,  too  sublime  to  be 
easily  understood,  is  materialized  in  the  imagination  of  a  gross  and 
ignorant  people.  The  word  IN  in  its  degeneration,  signifies  no  more 


74  THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

8.     Wa-ittah  InOAH  ^Elo-       U£r3  D'h*?!*  HUT 


Adam  asher-iatzar. 


than  a  smoke,  a  vapour,  a  mist,  a  cloud.  The  'Samaritan  and  Chaldaic 
translators  understood  it  thus.  This  interpretation  is  defective  no 
doubt,  but  it  is  better  than  that  of  fountain,  given  by  the  Hellenist 
Jews. 

v.  7  "ttJv>1,  and-he-formed  ----  This  is  one  of  the  most  difficult 
words  in  the  Hebraic  tongue.  Its  primitive  root  is  IX,  the  elemen- 
tary principle  whose  analysis  I  have  given  in  v  3,  ch.  I.  This  root, 
ruled  by  the  determinative  sign  U,  and  animated  by  the  convertible 
sign  1,  offers  in  the  verb  TrX,  the  idea  of  figuring,  forming,  coordinat- 
ing, fixing  and  binding  the  constitutive  elements  of  a  thing.  If  this 
radical  verb,  employed  according  to  the  intensive  form,  doubles  its 
final  character  "l  ,  image  of  proper  and  frequentative  movement,  as  in 
*ni3f  ;  then  it  signifies  to  tighten  and  to  press  forcibly,  to  oppress: 
but  if  the  convertible  sign  passes  to  the  condition  of  hard  consonant, 
as  in  Tij?S;  then  the  material  compression  has  attained  its  height, 
and  this  verb  contains  only  the  idea  of  agony,  of  ignominy,  and  of  very 
sharp  pain. 

In  the  present  case,  Moses  has  used  the  simple  root  "IX,  •which 
expresses  coordination,  elementary  configuration,  by  giving  it  for 
initial  adjunction,  the  sign  of  manifestation  and  duration  \  thus 
forming  the  compound  radical  verb  ")jp,  he  substantiated,  formed, 
fastened;  and  fashioned  for  eternity. 

"153?,  "by-rarefying  ...  .This  continued  facultative,  which  has  been 
taken  for  a  simple  substantive  by  the  Latin  translator,  has  not  been  by 
all  the  Hellenists,  who  at  least  say  xtf"  Xa/Sw?,  taking  the  dust: 
imagining,  dust  where  there  was  none:  but  still,  it  is  better  to  imag- 
ine dust,  than  mud  and  mire. 


The  Samaritan  renders  1D5?  by  ^3^7lJ    wnich  *s  to  say,  a  volatile, 
essential   spirit;   as    is    shown    by    the    Ethiopic    analogue       A^S^f" 
(tzawphe),  signifying  literally  new  icine;  and  the  Arabic  word       I  _j^  > 
which   presents  the   idea  of  that  which   is  inflamed   rapidly,   of  that 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  75 

8.  And  -  he  -  appointed,  8.  Et-il  arreta  (traga), 
IHOAH,  HE-the-Gods,  an-en-  IHOAH,  Lui-les-Dieux,  une- 
closure  (an  organical  boun-  enceinte  (une  circonference 
dary)  in-the-temporal-and-  organique)  dans-la-sphere- 
sensible-sphere  extracted-  sensible-et-temporelle  extra- 
from  -  the  -  boundless  -  and  -  ite  -  de  -  Panteriorite  -  uni- 
foregoing  (time) ;  and-he-  verselle  (des  temps)  ;  et-il- 
laid-up  there  that-same-  plaga  la  ce-meme-Adam  qu' 
Adam  whom-he-had-framed-  il-avait-fornre-pour  1'eterni- 
forever.  te\ 


which  exhales  an  odour,  of  that  which  moves  with  vivacity;   as  is 
proved  by  its  derivatives   f^ji>    •    £,j"^"    •    £}j*\  ,  etc. 

The  word  152  here  in  question,  offers  the  two  roots  united 
1X---|!tt?,  the  first  of  which  rp  contains  the  idea  of  all  rapid, 
volatile,  aerial  movement;  the  second,  as  we  have  already  seen,  is 
applied  to  the  elementary  principle. 

V5XD  r.5-1,  and-he-inspired  into-the-inspiring-faculty-of-him  .... 
Following  the  custom  of  Moses,  the  verb  and  the  substantive,  drawn 
from  the  same  root,  succeed  and  enlighten  each  other.  This  root  is 
XD,  or  "'D,  which  signifies  literally  the  mouth  and  the  breath  which 
it  exhales;  figuratively,  speech  and  intelligence  which  is  its  source. 


a-being-exalted  ----  This  is  the  verb  n*72B/,  whose  root 
DE  expresses  that  which  is  jxalted,  employed  according  to  the  enun- 
ciative  form,  passive  movement,  as  continued  facultative,  feminine 
construction. 

v.  8.  p,  an  enclosure  ____  The  Hellenist  translators  have  copied 
here  the  Samaritan  word  'ffflf<$3  >  Paradise-  Let  us  take  up  this 
Samaritan  word,  whose  root  T>,  so  little  understood,  expresses  the 
idea  of  circular  movement,  steady  and  easy  as  that  of  a  wheel;  it  can 
be  perceived  in  the  verb  Tin,  which  expresses  the  action  of  that 
which  unfolds  around  something  and  envelops  it  in  its  enclosure. 
Also,  the  Syriac  l^»,  the  Chaldaic  and  Hebrew  TVI  ,  have  signified 
alike  a  woman's  garment,  a  light  mantle  enveloping  a  person 
with  its  undulating  folds.  The  Samaritan  word  *  >  has  had  most 


76  THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

9.     Wa-iatzemah    In6AH     HO'Wr     D'fj    HlIT 


w'tdb  I'maadhal,  w'hetz  ha-     JJH  7]lrO  D^DH  fin 

halim  b'thoch  ha-gan,  w'hetz 

ha-dahath  t6b  wa-ra^h.  «  J™  3*  "inn 


assuredly  the  same  signification;  what  proves  it  beyond  rejoinder,  is 
that  the  word  \l,  whose  emphatic  version,  by  means  of  the  sign  3 
or  C  added  at  the  head,  has  never  had  any  other  meaning  than  that 
of  an  envelope,  a  protecting  enclosure.  This  word  which  partakes  of 
the  nature  of  the  same  name  given  to  woman  by  a  great  number 
of  peoples,  signifies  still  a  covering,  in  the  Italian  gonna,  in  the 
English  gown,  in  the  French  gaine  and  even  in  the  ancient  Celtic  gun 
or  goun.  It  can  signify  a  garden  only  in  the  sense  wherein  one  con- 
siders a  garden  as  enclosed  and  surrounded  with  hedges.  But  this  re- 
stricted signification  is  belied  here  by  the  Samaritan  paradise,  whose 
analogues  all  respond  to  the  meaning  of  enclosure,  sphere,  veil,  and 
oroAN  which  I  give  to  it. 

Here  is  the  hieroglyphic  etymology  of  the  word  p.  This  mys- 
terious word  comes  evidently  from  the  root  13,  expressing  every  idea 
of  an  object,  enveloping  and  containing  without  effort,  opening  and  ex- 
tending itself  to  contain  and  to  receive,  and  which  terminates  with 
the  final,  extensive  sign  ].  See  Rad.  Vocab.  roots  13  and  p , 

pJJ3,  in-the-sensible-sphere . . . .  Since  this  word  has  been  ren- 
dered by  those  of  pleasure  and  sensual  desire,  it  has  been  so  only  by 
a  sequence  of  gross  ideas  which  are  attached  to  that  which  is  senti- 
ent and  temporal.  The  root  from  which  it  springs  is  evident:  it  is 
Tiy,  which  expresses  every  kind  of  limited  period.  Thence,  ny  and 
p3?  the  actual  time,  the  temporal;  things  sentient  and  transitory, 
etc. 

C"!p-tt,  extracted-from-the-foregoing If  'the  Hellenist  trans- 
lators had  wished  to  understand  the  word  pi?,  they  would  have  un- 
derstood this  one  likewise;  but  having  eluded  the  sense  of  the  one 
they  have  necessarily  missed  the  sense  of  the  other.  It  is  always  the 
root  13?  which  precedes  and  which  is  used  according  to  the  usage  of 
Moses,  but  considered  under  another  relation  and  modified  by  the 
initial  sign  of  the  greatest  agglomerating  and  compressing  force  p , 
and  by  the  final  collective  sign  C.  It  must  be  stated  here  that  the 
Egyptian  priests  conceived  two  eternities:  Clp,  that  of  this  side  of 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  77 

9.  And-he-caused-to-shoot  9.    Et  -  il  -  fit  •  de>elopper, 

•out,    IHOAH,    HE-the-Gods,  IHOAH,  Lui-les-Dieux,  de-cet 

from-the-adamic      (homoge-  -e"lement-adamique     (homo- 

neal-ground)  all-growth  g6ne)    toute-substance-vege- 

( every     vegetative- faculty)  tative    belle-autant-que-pos- 

fair-at-its-highest-rate,     to-  sible   selon-la-vue,    et-bonne 

the-sense-of-sight,   and-good  selon-le-gout ;    et-u  n  e-s  u  b- 

to-the-sense-of-taste;   and-a-  stance      des-vies      dans-le- 

growth    of-lives,    in-the-bo-  centre  de  1'enceinte-organi- 

som  of  -  the  -  organic  -  enclo-  que ;    et-une-substance-vege- 

sure;  and-a-growth  (a  vege-  tative      d  e-1  a-connaissance 

tative  faculty)  of-the-knowl-  du-bien  et-du-mal. 
edge  of-good  and-evil. 


time,  and  cb'2,  that  of  the  other  side  of  time:  that  is  to  say,  an- 
terior eternity  and  posterior  eternity. 

v.  9.       y y,  a  growth The  root    12?    or   T    develops  every  idea 

of  growth,  excrescence,  tumour;  anything  which  accumulates.  The 
sign  y  which  terminates  it,  marks  the  aim,  the  end  to  which  all  things 
tend.  Seeing  only  a  tree,  in  the  word  yy ,  as  the  Hellenists  or  as  Saint 
Jerome  who  has  copied  them,  testifies  to  a  great  desire  to  suppress  the 
truth  or  to  show  great  ignorance.  The  Samaritan  has  been  more  hap- 
pily chosen,  or  less  cautiously.  The  word  *J2flJ^  which  it  uses  ex- 
presses a  vegetation  of  elementary  nature;  it  comes  from  the  root 
blJJ  or  Vr,  and  terminates  with  the  extensive  sign  }.  The  Chaldaic 
reads  'j'r^,  which  amounts  to  nearly  the  same.  It  is  an  extensive 
force,  an  invading  power;  in  short,  matter  in  travail:  it  is  what 
the  Greeks  name  6X17,  and  the  Latins  "sylva."  Now,  observe 
that  CXij  and  "sylva"  have  likewise  signified  tree,  or  wood,  in  a 
very  restricted  sense. 

The  mistake  that  the  translators  committed  here  appears  to  me 
voluntary  and  calculated;  for  otherwise  it  would  be  ridiculous:  that  of 
Saint  Jerome  was  forced.  Having  once  followed  these  untrustworthy 
guides  in  one  point,  he  was  obliged  to  follow  them  in  all.  After  having 
seen  a  garden,  in  an  intelligible  enclosure  that  we  would  today  name 
on  organic  sphere  of  activity,  it  was  quite  natural  that  he  should  see 
sensual  desire  in  what  was  sentient  and  temporal;  morning,  in  what 
was  anteriority  of  time;  a  tree,  in  what  was  matter  in  travail,  etc., 
etc. 


78  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


10.  W'nahar  iotzae  me-he-     -fig  nip^'H1?  flND 

rvrn 


ah  1'arbahah  rashim. 


11.     Shem    ha-sehad   phi-     ^bn  tflH  fltf'S  IH^Jl  W 

^LX^LS   nr*  n^pn  n^?  n« 

asher-sham  ha-zahab. 


12.  W'zahab  ha-aretz  ha- 


v.  10.      JWiX1?,   according-to-the-four-f old-power The   root  of 

this  mysterious  number  is  3",  which,  formed  of  the  sign  of  move- 
ment proper  1,  and  that  of  generative  action,  contains  all  ideas  of 
grandeur  and  of  multiplication.  If  the  last  character  is  doubled  as 
in  DDT,  this  word  acquires  an  endless  numerical  extent;  if  it  is  fol- 
lowed by  the  sign  of  material  sense,  as  in  J?D"!,  it  becomes  the  ex- 
pression of  solidity,  of  physical  force,  and  of  all  ideas  attached  to  the 
cube.  It  is  in  this  state  that  it  represents  the  number  four.  But  in 
the  above  example,  it  begins  one  part  with  the  sign  of  power  N  ,  and 
terminates  with  the  emphatic  article  D,  which  attaches  to  it  the 
hieroglyphic  meaning  of  the  four-fold  power  or  quaternary. 

v.  11.     ^lETD ,  Phishon This  is  the  root  ET,  which,  formed  by 

the  signs  of  manifestation  and  of  relative  movement,  expresses  every 
idea  of  reality  and  of  physical  substantiality.  It  is  governed  by  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


79 


10.  And  -a-flo wing-efflu- 
ence (an    emanation)    was- 
running  from-this  temporal- 
and-sensible-place,       for-be- 
dewing     that-same-organic- 
enclosure ;     and-thence,     it- 
was-dividing   in-order-to-be- 
henceforth      suitable-to-the- 
four-fold-generative-power. 

11.  The-name  of-one  (of- 
those  generative  effluences) 
-was-PMshon     ( real     exist- 
ence)      that-which-is      sur- 
rounding the-whole-earth-of 
Hawilah    (virtual    energy) 
which-is  the-native-spot  of- 
gold   (light's  reflection). 

12.  And-the-gold    of-the- 
earth   that-self-same,   good; 
proper-spot     of  -  Bedellium 
(mysterious  dividing)   and- 
of-the-*Sffowe  Shoam  (univer- 
sal sublimation). 


10.  Et-un-fleuve       (une 
Emanation)  etait-coulant  de- 
ce-lieu-temporel-et  -  sensible, 
pour-1'action-d'abreuver  cet- 
te-meme-sphere  -  organique ; 
et-de-la,     il-etait-se-divisant 
afin-d'etre-a-l'avenir     selon- 
la  -  puissance  -  quaternaire  - 
multiplicatrice-des  -  princi  - 
pes. 

11.  Le-nom-  du  -  premier 
(de  ces  principes  6manes)-. 
etsiit-Phishon      (la     r£alit6 
physique,   1'fitre   apparent) 
lui  -  qui  -  est    circonscrivant 
toute  -  la  -  terre-  de  Hawilah 
(Tenergie  virtuelle)  laquelle 
-est-le  lieu-propre  de-l'or  (la 
reflexion  lumineuse). 

12.  Et-l'or    de  -  la  -  terre 
icelle,  bon;  lieu-propre  du- 
Bedcllium  (separation  mys- 
terieuse ) ,        et-de-la-pierre 
shohdm,    (sublimation   uni- 
verselle). 


emphatic  sign  of  speech  C,  and  is  terminated  by  the  augumentative 
syllable  ]*,  which  carries  to  its  highest  degree,  the  extent  of  every 
produced  being.  One  can  recognize  in  this  proper  name  and  in  all  the 
following  ones,  the  genius  of  the  Egyptian  tongue. 

nb'inn,    Hawilah Here    the    root    Vn,   Vln  or  Vn,    is 

related  to  the  idea  of  effort,  of  tension,  or  virtual  travail,  of  trial, 
eto.  This  root  is  used  as  continued  facultative,  with  the  emphatic 
article  n.  Refer  to  the  Rad.  Vocab.  concerning  this  root,  and  the 
preceding  one. 

v.  12.     I  suspect  this  verse  was  at  first  a  marginal  note  which  has 
crept  into  the  text,  either  by  the  carelessness  of  Esdras,  or  by  that  of 


80  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

13.     W'shem  ha-nahar  ha-     j^n    fitTO 


14.     W'shem  ha-nahar  ha- 


ha-nahar     ha-rabihi     houa 
phrath. 


is.     wa-ikkah    IHOAH    Dn-n    &ri*7$  nirr 

^Elohim  set h-ha- Adam,  wa- 
!nnihe-hou  be  -  gan  -  Lden 
Fhabed-ha  w'1'shamer-ha. 


some  earlier  copyist.  What  leads  me  to  suspect  this  is,  that  it  inter- 
rupts visibly  the  narration,  by  an  hermetic  allegory,  very  crude,  which 
is  neither  the  style  nor  the  manner  of  Moses. 

v.  13.          'prr:)  ,  Gihon Consult  again  the  Rad.  Vocab.  for  the 

root  Hi.  This  root  is  employed  here  in  the  intensive  verbal  form  with 
the  augmentative  syllable  "jl. 

BID ,    Chush The    elementary    root      E?N ,    which    signifies    In 

general,  the  igneous  principle,  being  verbalized  by  the  signs  1  or  •» 
has  produced  the  word  BIS  or  ETX  ;  that  is  to  say,  fire,  physical  or 
moral:  and  this  word  contracted  by  the  assimilative  sign  D,  has  given 
rise  to  the  one  of  which  we  are  speaking.  This  name  which  is  found 
in  the  sacred  books  of  the  Brahmans,  and  whose  origin  is  consequently 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


81 


13.  And-the-name  of-the- 
effluence    the-second,    was- 
Gihon      (determining     mo- 
tion)  that-very-one-which-is 
encompassing     the  -  whole  - 
earth  Chush  (fire-like,  ethe- 
real principle). 

14.  And-the-name  of-the- 
effluence  the-third  was-Hid- 
dekel  (nimble  and  swift-pro- 
pagator, universal  fluid)  the 
-same-that-is  the-producing- 
cause    of-the-eternal-princi- 
pie  of-happiness   (harmony, 
lawful    rule)    and-the-efflu- 
ence    the-fourth,    the-same- 
that  -  is      the  -  fecundating  - 
cause. 


15.  And-he-took,  IHOAH, 
HE  -  the  -  Gods,  that  -  same  - 
Adam  (collective-man)  and- 
he-placed-him  in  -  the  -  tern  - 
poral-and  -  sensible  -  sphere, 
for  dressing-it  and-over- 
looking-it-with-care. 


13.  Et-le  -  nom-du-fleuve 
(du  principe  emane)  deuxi- 
enie,  etsiit-Gihon,  (le  mou- 
vement  determinant)  lui- 
qui-est  entourant  toute-la- 
terre  Choush  (le  principe 


14.  Et-le-nom    du-fleuve 
(de  1'emanation)  troisieine, 
etait  Hiddekel  (le  rapide  et 
16ger  propagateur),  le  fluide 
eUectrique,  magnetique,  gal- 
vanique,  etc.)  lui-qui-est  le- 
faisant-aller    (le  moyen  de 
propagation)      du-principe- 
primitif     de-la-felicit6     (de 
1'ordre,   de  1-harmonie)    et- 
le-fleuve  (1'emanation)  quat- 
rieme-£tait  lui-qui-est  le-fe- 
condateur. 

15.  Et-il-prit,       IHOAH, 
LUI  -  les  -  Dieux,  ce  -  m£me  - 
Adam  (1'homme  universel), 
et-il-laissa-lui  dans-la-sphere 
-temporelle-et-sensible,  pour 
ellaborer-elle,  et-pour-la-sur- 
veiller-avec-soin. 


very  ancient,  has  been  rendered  by  that  of  &thi-ops,  which  is  to  say, 
the  sympathetic  fire  of  the  globe.  All  the  allegorical  names  of  which 
Moses  makes  use,  come  evidently  from  the  Egyptian  sanctuaries. 

v.  14.  bp"H  Heddekel This  name  is  formed  of  two  words 

mn,  emitting,  propagating,  and  bp  light,  rapid.  It  is  used  in  the 
intensive  form. 

DIE  Kin,  that-is  the-fecundating-cause The  Hellenists  having 


82  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


16.       Wa-itzaw   InOAH     D-irr5?!?   D'Pftg    HliT 

hal-ha-Adam,  1'av 
mor,  mi-chol  hetz-ha-gan 
achol  thaochel. 


17.     W'me-hetz  ha-dahath     "K1?  JTfl 
tob    wa-rawh    loa    thaochal 
mi-men-ou    chi    b'lom    fttal- 
6ha    mi-men-ou,    mot    ha- 
m6th. 


seen  the  Tigris  in  the  allegorical  river  Vpin  Me  swift  propagator 
spoken  of  by  Moses,  have  not  failed  to  profit  here,  by  a  slight  resem- 
blance in  the  sound  of  the  words,  to  see  the  Euphrates,  in  n*S  Kin  , 
that  which  fecundates;  without  concerning  themselves  with  what  they 
had  said  of  the  two  preceding  rivers:  but  only  a  little  attention  is 
needed  to  see  that  N1H  is  a  masculine  pronoun  which  governs  the 
nominal  verb  n"l£  ,  the  action  of  fecundating, 

v.  15.    All  these  terms  are  simple  or  known. 

v.  16.  ^"1,  and-he-prescribed  .  .  .  .  The  root  15J  expresses  every 
kind  of  line  traced  toward  an  end,  of  which  the  sign  X  is  the  symbol. 
This  root,  having  become  the  verb  HIS,  according  to  the  intensive  form, 
signifies  to  conduct  with  rectitude,  to  guide  well,  etc. 

wE  ,  the  whole  growth.,..     Turn  to  v.  9.  of  this  chapter. 


i  feeding  thou-mayst-fced-upon.  .  .  .  Here  is  a  word, 
which,  as  the  result  of  contraction,  has  become  very  difficult  to 
understand,  on  account  of  the  resemblance  that  it  has  acquired  with 
certain  different  words  which  come  from  another  root,  and  with  which 
it  can  easily  be  confused.  Its  proper  root  must  be  sought  for  carefully, 
for  Moses  has  attached  great  importance  to  this  point.  One  can  see  by 
the  pains  that  he  has  taken  to  repeat  twice  the  same  verb,  first,  as 
continued  facultative,  and  afterward,  as  temporal  future. 

This  root  is    bw,  elementary  matter,  unknown  substance,  symbol- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


83 


16.  And  •  he  -  prescribed, 
IHOAH,  HE-the-Gods  (enact- 
ing, settling)  to\vard-Aciam, 
by  -  declaring :  from  -  the  - 
whole  growth-of-the-organic 
-enclosure,  feeding  thou- 
mayst-feed-upon. 


17.  But-from-the-growth 
(growing  might)  of-the- 
knowledge  of-good  and-evil, 
not-shalt  -  thou  -  feed  -  upon 
any-of-it;  for-in-the-day  of- 
the-feeding-thine  upon-some 
-of-it,  dying  thou-shalt-die 
( thou  shalt  transmute  to  an- 
other state). 


16.  Et-il-prescrivit,  IHO 
AH,   LUi-les-Dieux,    (statua, 
regla),  en vers- Adam,  selon- 
l'action-de  declarer  (sa  pa- 
role) :    de-toute    substance- 
vegetative-de-1'enceinte  -  or  - 
ganique,  alimentant  tu-peux 
-t'alimenter. 

17.  Mais-de-la-substance 
-physique  de-la-connaissance 
du-bieu    et-du-mal,    non-pas 
tu-consommeras     de-quoi-d' 
elle;  car  dans-le-jour  de-la- 
consommation-a-toi  de-quoi- 
d'elle,   mourant  tu-mourras 
(tu    passeras    a    un    autre 
etat). 


ized  here  by  the  universal  convertible  sign  placed  between  those  of 
physical  sense  and  expansive  movement.  This  root  which  is  conserved 

wholly  in  the  Syriac  Loot  and  in  the  Greek  CXij,  was  famous  among 
the  Egyptians  who  made  it  play  an  important  role  in  their  mythology. 
One  finds  in  Ethiopic  the  word  ?[*j£\  (achal) signifying  substance,  es- 
sence, matter,  nourishment.  Element  and  aliment,  hold  to  this  through 
their  common  root. 

Furthermore,  this  root  Is  used  in  Hebrew  only  in  a  restricted 
sense,  and  as  it  were,  to  nurse  an  infant,  to  give  it  its  first  nourish- 
ment. One  finds  VMy .  to  designate,  an  infant  at  the  breast.  When 
the  Chaldaic  punctuation  materializes  completely  this  root  in  making 
consonantal  the  mother  vowel  X  then  it  develops  ideas  of  injustice, 
crime  and  perversity. 

But  if,  instead  of  materializing  this  vowel,  the  character  of  the 
physical  sense  S,  is  softened  by  substituting  the  sign  of  assimilated 
life  D;  then  this  root  written  thus,  Vl3.  expresses  ideas  of  appre- 
hension, of  violent  shock;  of  measure,  of  substantiation;  if  it  is  reduced 
to  the  single  characters  *?3,  one  obtains  by  this  contraction,  the  ana- 
logous ideas  of  assimiliation,  of  substance,  and  of  consummation, 
whether  one  considers  the  action  of  consummating  or  of  consuming. 


84  THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

18.  Wa-iaomer  I  H  6  A  H,     SitTN1?  D'rftN 
;iobim,  loa-tob 
dam  Fbadd'-6  a 
hezer  b'neghed-6. 


/Elohim,  loa-tob  heioth  ha-     ft-nwyx   -j^1?   D1NH  JTiTT 
Adam   l'badd'-6  a-hesheh-l'd  T 


19.  Wa-itzer  IH6AH,  M-  nD"tt*rrjp  D^n?^  I7VT 
lohim  min-ha-Adarnak  chol-  fiiy^pVllO  iTlt^n  n*n"*73 
h  a  1  a  t  h  ha-shadeth  w'a?th 
chol  hoph  ha-shainaim,  wa- 
iabae  ael-ha-Adam  Fr  a  6  t  h 
mahikera-F6  w'chol  asher  ,  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  DINH  I1? 
ikera-F6  ha-Adam,  nephesh  T"  "  TTT 

haiah  houa  shem-6. 


It  is  at  this  point  that  Moses  has  taken  it,  and  giving  it  the  exalted 
meaning  which  he  conceived,  he  has  made  it  rule  by  the  sign  of  power 
X  .  In  this  state,  the  verb  ^CK  ,  which  is  formed,  has  signified  to 
feed  upon,  that  is  to  say,  to  assimilate  to  one's  self  elementary  matter 
as  food. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  root  Vl3?  of  which  we  are 
speaking,  is  precisely  the  same  as  that  which  the  Samaritan  translator 
used  to  render  the  substance  called  yy ,  by  Moses,  and  the  object  of 
alimentation  expressed  by  the  verb  b'OS .  Refer  again  to  v.  9.  of 
this  chapter  and  to  Rad.  Voc.  root  ^3  and  by. 

v.  17.  ninn,  of  the  knowledge J?1  is  a  root  which  con- 
tains every  idea  of  exposition,  explanation,  demonstration;  being 
formed  by  contraction  of  the  roots  V  the  hand,  that  which  shows,  and 
ny.  the  superficies,  the  curve,  the  exterior  form  of  things. 

The  Samaritan  word  ^^^^  nolds  to  the  Hebraic  root  r(n , 
which  is  related  to  that  which  grasps  forms  interiorly  and  which 
fixes  them,  as  for  example  taste.  Thus  knowledge,  indicated  by  the  He- 
brew text,  is  that  which  depends  upon  judgment  and  upon  exterior 
forms,  and  that  indicated  by  the  Samaritan  translator,  is  that  which 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


85 


18.  And-he-said,  IHOAH, 
HE-the-Being-of-beings,  not- 
good  the-being-Arfam  (col- 
lective man)  in-lonesome- 
ness-his ;  I-will-make-to-him, 
an-auxiliary-might  (a  prop, 
a  mate)  unto-the-reflecting- 
light-his-own. 


19.  And-he-had-elementiz- 
ed  (by  compacting  the  ele- 
ments toward  an  end),  IHO- 
AH, HE-the-Being-of-beings, 
from-the-adamic  (homogene- 
al  ground )  every-life  of-nat- 
ure  -  earth  -  born,  and  -  every 
fowl  of-the-heavens ;  and-he- 
brought  unto- Adam,  to  see 
what  he-would-assign-for- 
name  in-relation-to-himself- 
unto-it:  and-all-that  he  as- 
signed -  for  -  name  -  unto  -  it 
(after  him),  Adam  (collect- 
ive man),  soul-of-life  was- 
the-n  a  m  e-its-own-suitable- 
to-him. 


18.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  LUI- 
Pfitre  -  des  -  etres,    pas  -  bon 
vtre-Adam  ( rhomme-univer- 
sel )  dans-la-solitude-sienne : 
Je-ferai-a-lui,    une-force-au- 
xiliaire   (un  s  o  u  t  i  e  n,  un 
aide,  une  corroboration,  une 
doublure )     en-r  e  fl  e  t-lumi- 
neux-de-lui. 

19.  Et-il-avait-form6    (en 
coordonnant  les  6  1  6  m  e  n  s 
vers  un  but),  IHOAH,  LUI- 
Pfitre-des-etres  du-s  e  i  n-de- 
Tadamique,   (element  homo- 
gene)  toute-vie  de-la-nature- 
terrestre  et-toute-espece-de- 
volatile  d  e  s-cieux ;  et-il-fit- 
venir  vers-Adam.   pour-voir 
q  u  e  1    il-assignerait-nom-a- 
cela  (selon  lui)  :  et-tout-ce- 
qu'  il-a  s  s  i  g  n  a-nom-.\-cela 
(selon  lui),  Adorn    (1'hom- 

me  universe! ) ,  Ame-de-vie  ce- 
fut-le-nom-sien-de-lui. 


results  from  taste  and  from  interior  forms.  The  Latin  word  sapientia 
has  the  same  expression  as  the  Samaritan.  The  French  connaissance 
holds  a  medium  between  the  two.  The  word  knowledge  and  the  Greek 
•yrw<ni  are  derived  from  the  Celtic  word  ken  or  kan,  which  signifies 
to  conceive,  to  comprehend,  to  embrace  in  a  glance,  etc. 

rTten  ZTto.     dying,     thou-shalt-die I    shall    explain    later    on 

the  root  of  this  word.     See  Rad.  Vocab.  root  HE. 

v.  18.      liy,  an-auxiliary-might This  energetic  word  has  been 

formed  of  the  root  TJ?,  which  expresses  every  force,  every  means 
added,  every  strengthening,  and  of  the  elementary  sign  of  movement 


86  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

20.     Wa-ikera     ha-Adam     -^'p  niDfc* 


chol  haiath  ha-shadeh,  wT     NVp'K1?   DIN^I   iTl&n  JTH 

Adam   loa-matza   hezer  ch' 

neghed'-6. 


21.  Wa-iaphel  In6AH,  -*?y  npT)fl  DTi^N  ITiiT 
^lohim  thareddemah  hal- 
ha-Adam,  wa-iishan,  wa-ik- 
kah  ahath  mi-tzal-hothai-6, 
wa-isseggor  bashar  thahathe 
-nah. 


proper  ".  The  Samaritan  word  5*Vl/  which  translates  it,  means 
a  support,  a  counsel,  a  kindness;  as  is  proved  by  the  corresponding 
Arabic  word  JU>  .  The  Chaldaic  targum  says  ~*-C,  a  conjunction. 


1niJ2,  unto-the-reflecting-light-his-own....  The  root  22  is  applied 
to  every  kind  of  light  reflected  like  a  mirror.  Thence  the 
ideas  of  manifestation  and  opposition,  of  object  presented  and  put  in 
juxtaposition,  which  is  found  in  the  word  ~22,  wherein  the  root 
22  is  rendered  still  more  expressive  by  the  addition  of  the  sign  ~i  • 
The  mediative  article  3,  which  inflects  this  word  shows  the  appli- 
cation. I  shall  only  state  here  that,  following  the  narrative  of  Moses, 
the  Being  of  beings,  creating  Adam,  forms  him  in  his  likeness;  that 
creating  Eve,  he  forms  her  in  the  light  of  Adam,  or  of  that  which  is 
the  same  thing,  in  the  luminous  reflection  of  Adam. 

v.  19.  *b  ,  unto  it  (after  him)  ----  Here  is  a  grammatical  trope 
that  I  wish  to  point  out,  as  this  verse  merits  particular  attention,  on 
account  of  the  actual  formation  of  the  animals  in  which  Adam  takes 
part.  This  trope  contains  two  meanings.  Moses  who  uses  it  quite 
readily,  appears  to  have  imitated  the  hieroglyphic  style  in  which  no 
doubt,  it  was  often  used.  In  this  verse,  for  example,  the  word  'b 
composed  of  the  nominal  aflix  *,  belonging  to  the  third  person  mascu- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


87 


20.  And  -  he  - 
Adam,  names  to-the-whole 
quadruped-kind,  and-to-the- 
fowl  of-heavens,  and-to-the- 
whole  living-nature  earth- 
born  and-for-Adaw  (collec- 
tive man)  not-to-meet  with- 
-an-auxiliary-mate  as-a-re- 
flected-light-of-him. 


21.  And  -  he-caused  -  to  - 
fall,  IHOAH,  HE-the-Gods,  a- 
sympathetic-slumber  (mys- 
terious and  deep)  upon 
Adam  (collective  man)  who 
-slept:  and-he-broke-off  one 
of-the-involutions  (that 
sheltered  him)  and-he-cover- 
ed-with-care  (he  coloured) 
with-shape  and-corporeal- 
beauty  the-weakness  ( in- 
feriority) of-her. 


20.  Et-il-assigna  Adam, 
des-noms       a-toute-1'espece- 
quadrupede,       et-a-1'espece- 
volatile  des-cieux,  et-a-toute 
Tanimalite  de-la-nature-ter- 
restre:     et-pour-Adam      (!' 
homme   universel)    non-pas 
trouver  un-aide   (une  force 
auxiliaire)  comme-un-reflet- 
lumineux-de-lui. 

21.  Et  -  il-laissa  -  tombcr 
IHOAH,    Lui-les-Dieux,    un- 
sommeil-sympathique  (inys- 
terieux     et    pro  fond)     sur- 
Adam   (Thomme  universel) 
qui-dormit:    et-il-rompit-de- 
1'unite   une   des-enveloppes- 
siennes    ( exterieures )    et-il- 
couvrit-avec-soin  (il  colora) 
forme-et  -  beaute  -  corporelle 
la-faiblesse      ( 1'inf  erioritS )  - 
a-elle. 


line,  and  of  the  directive  article  b,  is  placed  with  reference  to  the 
thing  to  which  Adam  is  to  give  a  name,  and  to  Adam  himself,  who 
will  give  this  name  according  to  him;  that  is  to  say,  according  to  the 
relations  that  he  shall  discover  between  him  and  that  thing. 

This  trope  is  remarkable  because  it  is  from  the  examination  of  the 
relations  which  it  indicates,  that  the  names  result,  which  Adam,  univer- 
sal man,  gives  to  the  divers  animals,  according  to  their  relations  with 
the  living  soul  whence  their  existence  issues. 

*EB,  thc-name-its-own-suitable-to-him The  same  trope  con- 
tinued, makes  the  affix  *.,  belong  both  to  the  thing  which  received  the 
name,  and  to  Adam  who  gives  it. 

v.  20.    All  these  terms  are  understood. 

v.  21.        ~?:~~n,    a-sympathctic-slumber This    is    a    kind    of 

lethargy   or   somnambulism,   which   takes    possession    of   the    sentient 


88  THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


22.      Wa-iben        In6AH,     yfi-n     D'H1?      Hin* 
JElohim  seth-ha-tzellah  ash- 
er  lakah  min-ha-Adam  Fais- 
hah,  wa-lbiaeha  ael-ha-Adam. 


faculties  and  suspends  them;  as  is  testified  by  the  Chaldaic  c^ 
and  even  the  Arabic  f-sj  .  The  hieroglyphic  composition  of  the 
Hebrew  word  is  remarkable.  It  can  cause  strange  reflections  anent 
certain  modern  discoveries.  The  two  contracted  roots  CTT,,  ex- 
press, the  first,  that  which  extends  and  takes  possession  by  a  proper 
movement;  the  other,  that  which  is  similar,  homogeneous  and  con- 
formable to  universal  nature.  The  sign  of  mutual  reciprocity  n  and 
the  emphatic  article  n  are  here  at  the  beginning  and  the  end,  to 
increase  the  energy  of  this  mysterious  word. 

After  the  analysis  of  this  word,  one  cannot  fail  to  recognize  that 
extraordinary  condition,  to  which  the  moderns  have  given  the  name  of 
magnetic  sleep,  or  somnambulism-,  and  which  one  might  perhaps  desig- 
nate, as  in  Hebrew,  sympathetic  sleep,  or  simply  sympatheticism.  I 
must  moreover  state  that  the  Hellenists  who  say  fmrraa-ts  ,  a  trance, 
are  not  so  far  from  the  truth  as  Saint  Jerome  who  merely  says 
"soporem"  a  deep  sleep. 

nnx,  one....  This  word  does  not  signify  here  only  one,  but 
it  characterizes  also  unity.  Moses  employs  it  in  two  senses,  by  means 
of  the  grammatical  trope  of  which  I  spoke  in  v.  19,  of  this  chapter. 


,  of-the-involutions-of-him  ____  One  cannot,  in  a  word 

wherein  are  formed  so  many  different  images,  choose  an  idea  more 
petty  and  more  material,  than  that  which  the  Hellenists  have  rendered 
by  the  word  v\evpd,  a  rib.  Saint  Jerome  who  has  said  in  bad  Latin 
"unam  de  cotis,"  could  not  do  otherwise,  because  the  course  of  error 
was  irresistibly  marked  out.  The  word  i'V*  can  only  be  composed 
of  one  root  and  of  one  sign,  or  of  two  contracted  roots.  If  it  is  the 
first,  it  is  i'-bs,  for  yb  ,  is  not  an  Hebraic  root;  if  it  is  the  second,  it 
is  12~b:J,  in  either  case,  the  meaning  is  the  same,  for  the  root  DJ7 
or  mi?  is  only  an  extension  of  the  sign  y. 

According  to  this  data,  let  us  examine  the  ideas  contained  in  the 
root     bu.     They  are  those  of  shadow,  of  an  object  extending  above, 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  89 

22.  And-he-restored  (in  22.  Et  -  il  -  reconstruisit 
its  former  state)  IHOAH,  HE  (consolida,  retablit  dans  son 
-the-Being-of-beings,  the-  premier  etat)  IHOAH,  LUI- 
selfsameness-of-the  -  shelter-  1'Etre-des-etres,  la  sub- 
ing-windings  which  he-had-  stance-de-renveloppe-exteri- 
broken,  from  Adam  (collec-  eure,  laquelle  il-avait-rom- 
tive  man)  for- (shaping)  pue  d'Adam  (I'homme  uni- 
Aishah  (intellectual  woman,  versel)  pour- (baser)  Aishah 
man's  faculty  of  volition)  (la  femme  intellectuelle,  la 
and-he-brought-her  to-him-  faculte  volitive  d1 Adam)  et- 
Adam.  il-amena-elle  a-l 


and  making  shadow  as  a  canopy,  a  curtain,  a  screen,  hangings,  roof, 
etc. 

Now  what  Is  the  meaning  of  the  root  D2  ?  Is  it  not  that  which 
is  attached  to  all  curving,  all  circumferential  form,  to  all  exterior 
superficies  of  things,  as  I  stated  in  v.  17  of  this  chapter? 

Therefore  the  word  yb'S  signifies  exactly  an  envelope,  an  ex- 
terior covering,  a  protecting  shelter.  This  is  what  the  facultative 
yb'te  proves,  to  be  enclosing,  covering,  enveloping:  this  is  what  is 
proved  also  by  the  word  ^2»V»  by  wnich  the  Samaritans  have  ren- 
dered it.  This  word  which  is  derived  from  the  root  by,  characterizes 
a  thing  raised  to  serve  as  covering,  canopy,  etc.  The  Chaldaic  makes 
use  of  the  word  yby ,  analogous  to  the  Samaritan  and  having  the 
same  signification. 

1ED,  shape-and-corporeal-beauty I  omit  analyzing  TiJD  em- 
ployed here  according  to  the  intensive  form,  because,  in  reality, 
there  is  nothing  very  difficult  in  it.  The  word  1ED  demands  also 
all  of  our  attention,  notwithstanding  the  length  of  this  note;  seeing 
that  the  Hellenist  translators,  always  restricted  to  the  material  mean- 
ing, have  rendered  it  by  <rap£,  an  ignoble  word  which  Saint  Jerome 
has  copied  in  "caro,"  the  flesh.  Now  "D  or  TIE? ,  is  an  Hebraic  root 
which  contains  in  itself  all  ideas  of  movement  toward  consistency,  cor- 
poreity, elementary  form  and  physical  force,  as  is  sufficiently  de- 
noted by  the  signs  of  which  it  is  composed.  The  sign  of  interior  ac- 
tivity 2,  governs  this  same  root,  and  constitutes  the  verb  "WD 
which  always  signifies  to  inform;  to  announce  a  thing,  to  bring  glad 

tidings;  as  is  proved  by  the  Arabic^.  § which  adds  to  this  signification, 


90  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

23.     Wa-iaomer  ha-Adam     Q$y  D^SH  fiN'f 
zoath  ha-phaham  hetzem  me- 
hetoaiwl    WbaRhar   n,e-be- 
shar-i,  Fzaoth  Ikkara  aishah 
chi  me-a!sh  lukahah-zaoth.  t      T. 


that  of  showing  a  pleasant  physiognomy,  and  of  pleasing  by  its  beauty: 
moreover  the  word  oj\S'  ,  in  the  latter  tongue,  is  always  applied  to 
physical  beauty.  Now,  if  the  Hebraic  word  127D  designates  the  flesh, 
among  the  vulgar,  it  has  been  only  by  a  shocking  abuse,  and  by  a 
continuation  of  that  unfortunate  inclination  which  the  Jews  had  of 
restricting  and  materializing  everything.  It  signified  first,  form, 
configuration,  exterior  appearance,  corporeal  beauty,  animal  substance. 
The  Samaritan  version  and  the  Chaldaic  targum  use  the  analogous 
word  *J^2^  or  "1DD.  It  is  difficult  to  say  today  what  meaning  the 
Samaritans  attached  to  this  word  on  account  of  the  few  documents 
which  remain  to  us  in  their  tongue;  but  we  cannot  doubt  that  the 
Chaldeans  deduced  from  it  all  ideas  relative  to  exterior  forms,  ideas 
more  or  less  agreeable  according  to  the  point  of  view  under  which 
they  considered  these  forms.  Thus,  for  example,  they  understood  by 
the  nominal  "1C  2  ,  the  action  of  informing,  announcing,  evangelizing, 
preaching,  scrutinizing,  disdaining,  scorning,  etc. 


v.  22.  nux,  for-(shaping)  Aishah  ----  Here  again  is  the  trope 
of  repetition,  of  which  I  have  spoken.  This  trope  is  here  of  the  high- 
est importance  in  the  hieroglyphic  sense,  and  even  in  the  literal  sense, 
which  remains  incomplete  if  it  is  not  admitted.  In  order  to  un- 
derstand, it  must  be  recalled  that  the  root  E?X  develops  all  ideas 
attached  to  the  first  principle;  so  that  the  verb  "t?X  which  is  derived 
from  it  signifies  to  begin,  to  establish  in  principle,  to  shape,  etc. 
Now,  the  grammatical  trope  in  question  consists  of  this;  the  word 
DtBX  taken  at  the  same  time  as  verb  and  as  substantive,  expresses 
on  the  one  hand,  the  action  of  shaping,  of  beginning,  and  on  the  other, 
characterizes  the  very  object  of  this  action,  Aishah,  the  principiant 
volitive  faculty  of  Adam,  his  intellectual  spouse.  I  shall  relate  presently 
•what  should  be  understood  by  this  faculty,  in  analyzing  the  name 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  91 

23.  And-he-said  Adam  23.  Et-il-dit  Adam  (de- 
( declaring  his  thought)  :  clarant  sa  pensee)  celle-ci- 
this-is  actually  universal-  est  actuellement  substance- 
substance  of-the-substance-  universelle  de-la-substance- 
mine  and-corporeal-shape  of  a-moi,  et-forme-corporelle- 
-the-shape-mine:  to-this  he-  de-la  -  forme  -  corporelle  -  £  - 
assigned-for-n  a  m  e  Aishah  raoi :  a-celle-la-menie  il-as- 
( principle  of  volition,  intel-  signa-nom  Aishah  (volont6 
lectual  woman)  because  out-  principiante,  femme  intel- 
of-the-volitive-principle  Aish  lectuelle)  a-cause-que-du- 
(intellectual  man)  she-had-  principe-volitif  Aish  (rhom- 
been-taken-selfsameness.  me  intellectuel)  elle-avait- 

£t6-detachee-ipseite-meme. 


given  to  intellectual  man,  ETX ,  (aish)  in  opposition  to  universal  man, 
C-iX  (Adam). 

v.  23.  C2»r,  universal-substance. . . .  This  is  the  well-known  root 
yj?,  used  here  with  the  collective  sign  2.  An  attentive  reader  should 
see  two  things  in  this  word:  the  first,  that  the  root  yy  does  not  signify 
tree,  as  the  Hellenists  have  said;  the  second,  that  the  sign  C  has  really 
the  universal  expression  that  I  have  given  to  it.  This  last  observation 
will  be  very  useful  to  him  as  we  proceed. 

TT'X,  intellectual  man Here  is  a  new  denomination  given  to 

man.  It  appears  for  the  first  time,  when  the  Being  of  beings,  having 
declared  that  it  was  not  good  for  universal  man,  Adam,  to  live  alone 
in  the  solitude  of  his  universality,  has  effected  his  individuality,  in 
giving  him  an  auxiliary  force,  a  companion,  created  in  his  light  and 
destined  for  him  to  reflect  his  image. 

I  beg  the  reader  to  remark  first  of  all,  that  Moses,  giving  a  name 
to  this  companion,  does  not  derive  it  from  that  of  Adam;  for  Adam 
considered  as  universal  man,  could  not  know  a  companion.  The 
Hebraic  word  2~N  has  no  feminine.  The  word  ntt~N  which  appears 
to  be  it,  does  not  signify  universal  woman,  as  one  might  think;  but, 
as  I  have  said,  the  elementary  principle  of  Adam.  SIX,  universal 
man,  possesses  the  two  sexes.  Moses  has  taken  care  to  repeat  it  sev- 
eral times  so  that  one  shall  not  be  deceived.  What  therefore  is  this 
companion,  this  auxiliary  force,  as  the  word  It 3?  expresses  it?  It 


92          THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

24.      Hal-chen  lawhazab     -j-)JO  i 
aish  aeth-abi-6  w'seth  aim-6 


w'dabak  b'aisheth-6  w'halod  1™  WW  R3T! 

1'basbar  sehad.  • 


25.  W'lhiofi      shenei-hem     DlNrt    DWIJf    DfT^    VJT1 
harotim-mim,    ha-Adam    w' 
aisheth-6,      w'loa-ithboshas- 
hou. 


is  the  volitive  faculty  developed  by  the  Being  of  beings:  It  is  the 
intellectual  woman  of  universal  man;  it  is  the  will  proper  which  in- 
dividualizes him,  and  in  which  he  is  reflected  and  which,  rendering 
him  independent,  becomes  the  creative  force  by  means  of  which  he 
realizes  his  conceptions,  and  makes  them  pass  from  power  into  action. 
For,  this  truth  must  come  out  from  the  darkness  of  the  sanctuaries: 
the  will  was  creator  with  universal  man.  Whatever  this  man  willed 
was  when  and  how  he  willed  it.  The  power  and  the  act  were  indivisible 
in  his  will. 

.Such  is  the  difference  between  the  Hebraic  words  c~S  and  U*X« 
The  one  characterizes  man  universalized  by  his  homogeneous  essence, 
the  other  designates  .man  individualized  by  his  efficient  will.  The 
hieroglyphic  etymology  of  the  first  of  these  names  is  already  known, 
let  us  examine  the  second,  which  is  also  important. 

This  name  springs  from  two  contracted  roots  TX~*X .  I  have 
explained  them  both.  "X  develops  every  idea  of  desire,  of  inclination, 
of  appetite,  of  election:  E?X  is  the  power  of  movement,  the  elementary 
principle,  fire,  considered  in  the  absence  of  all  substance.  The  word 
E?*N  which  results  from  the  contraction  of  these  two  roots  only  dif- 
fers from  the  word  EttX  .  which  indicates  natural,  substantialized 
fire,  by  the  median  sign.  In  the  former  it  is  that  of  manifestation  and 
duration;  in  the  latter  it  is  the  bond  between  nothingness  and  being, 
which  I  name  convertible.  The  one  is  a  movement,  intelligent,  volitive, 
durable;  the  other,  a  movement,  appetent,  blind,  fugacious. 

Here  is  the  hieroglyphic  meaning  of  the  word  E*X  intellectual 
man.  It  is  a  new  development  of  universal  man,  a  development,  which, 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  93 

24.  So-that     shall-leave  24.     Sur-ce-donc     il-quit- 
the-intellectual-inan,       the-  tera,      rhomme-intellectuel, 
father-his-own,   a  n  d  - 1  h  e  -  la-pere-meme-s  i  e  n,    e  t-1  a- 
motber-his-o  w  n,     an  d-h  e-  mere-sienne,  et-il-se  r£unira 
shall-cleave     unto-the-intel-  (ne  fera  qu'un  etre)   avec- 
lectual-wife-of-hiin;        and-  la-femme  -  intellectuelle  -  a - 
they-shall-be,       as-to-the-ex-  lui :  et-ils-seront-s  e  1  o  n-1  a- 
terior-form,  one.  forme-exterieure,  un. 

25.  And-they-were  both-  25.     Et  -  ils  -  etaient  -  les- 
themselves  entirely-uncover-  deux-eux-memes,   Adam    (P 
ed    (bare-bodied),   Adam  homme      universel)       et-la- 
( collective  man)  and-the-in-  femme  -intellectuelle  -  a  -  lui 
tellectual-wife-of-him     and-  entierement-decouverts ;    et- 
not-they-shamed-one-anoth  -  non-pas-se-faisaient  -  honte  - 
er.  entr'eux. 


without  destroying  his  universality  and  his  homogeneity,  gives  him, 
nevertheless,  an  independent  individuality,  and  leaves  him  free  to 
manifest  himself  in  other  and  particular  conceptions,  by  means  of  a 
companion,  an  auxiliary  force,  intended  to  reflect  his  image. 

It  is  therefore  with  profound  reason  that  Moses  having  especially 
in  mind,  in  this  companion,  the  volitive  faculty  which  constitutes 
universal  man,  intelligent-being^  that  is  to  say,  the  faculty  which 
renders  him  capable  of  willing  and  of  choosing,  draws  its  name  from 
the  same  name  of  intellectual  man,  E*X .  In  this  derivation,  he  has 
caused  the  sign  of  manifestatior  *',  to  disappear,  and  has  replaced  it 
with  the  final  sign  of  life,  in  order  to  make  it  understood  that  it  is 
not  the  volitive  principle  which  resides  in  HEX,  but  the  principiant 
will,  existing,  no  longer  in  power,  but  in  action. 

v.  24  and  25.  These  two  verses  appear  to  me  to  be  the  reflection 
of  some  commentator,  written  at  first  on  the  margin  of  the  text,  and 
in  the  course  of  time,  inserted  in  the  text  itself.  They  bear  neither 
the  style  nor  the  form  of  Moses.  The  two  words  alone  p-"?J>  so- 
that,  suffice  to  prove  their  intercalation.  However  little  one  may  be 
impressed  with  what  has  preceded,  one  is  well  aware  that  these  two 
verses  are  not  connected  with  the  cosmogonical  narrative,  and  above 
all  that  they  have  not  come  from  the  Egyptian  sanctuary. 


94  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


SEPHER    BER^ESHITH  *J    ITtMOD   *1SD 

G. 


1.    W'ha  -  Nahasli  haiah 
haroum    michol    haiah    ha-     D*rf?K  fTifP  HEW  "ItPN 
shadeh  fisher  ha-shah  IH^AH 
JSlohlm,    wa-iaomer    ael-ha-     "W?  1* 
Aishah  aph  chi-amar  ^Elo- 
him  loa-thao-chelou  mi-chol 
hetz  ha-gan. 


v.    1.    tfronl .     Now-eager-Covetousnfss It  is  well  known  that 

the  Hellenists  and  Saint  Jerome,  have  seen  here  only  a  snake, 
a  serpent,  properly  speaking:  indeed  according  to  the  former  a  very 
wise  serpent,  6<f>a  fpovifJubraTo* ,  and  according  to  the  latter,  a  serpent 
very  skillful  and  very  cunning,  "serpens  callidior".  This  wretched 
interpretation  appears  to  go  back  to  the  epoch  of  the  captivity  of 
Babylon  and  to  coincide  with  the  total  loss  of  the  Hebraic  tongue: 
at  least,  it  is  true  that  the  Chaldaic  paraphrase  has  followed  it.  He 
says  D"2n  X"in  a  most  insidious  serpent.  I  do  not  know  if  any  one 
can  entirely  exonerate  the  author  of  the  Samaritan  version:  for, 
although  he  employs  the  word^***^^  which  corresponds  to  the 
Hebrew  UCU,  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  he  understood  it  exactly, 
not  having  known  how  to  render  the  word  Clli? ,  which  follows,  as  I 
shall  explain  hereafter. 

But  all  those  authorities  who  support  this  error,  cannot  prevent 
the  truth  from  being  seen.  The  word  ffinj,  as  it  is  employed  in  this 
case,  cannot  mean  a  serpent.  It  is  an  eager  covetousness,  self-con- 
ceited, envious,  egoistic,  which  indeed  winds  about  in  the  heart  of 
man  and  envelops  it  in  its  coils,  but  which  has  nothing  to  do  with 
a  serpent,  other  than  a  name  sometimes  given  metaphorically.  It 
is  only  by  restricting  this  figurative  expression  more  and  more,  that 
ignorant  people  have  been  able  to  bring  it  to  the  point  of  signifying 
only  a  serpent.  The  Hellenists  have  followed  this  crude  idea;  but 
could  they  have  done  otherwise?  If,  through  delicacy  of  sentiment 
or  respect  for  Moses,  they  had  wished  to  raise  the  veil  in  this  passage, 
what  would  have  become  of  the  garden,  .the  tree,  the  rib,  etc.  etc.? 
I  have  already  said,  in  the  part  they  had  taken,  they  had  to  sacrifice 
all  to  the  fear  of  exposing  the  mysteries. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  95 

GENESIS  III.  COSMOGONIE   III. 


1.  Now-eager-Covetous- 
ness  (self-conceit,  envy, 
concupiscence)  was  a-gen- 
eral-ruling-passion  (blind 
principle)  in-the-whole  life 
of-Nature  which  had-made 
IHOAH,  HE-the-Gods :  and- 
it-said  (that  grovelling  pas- 
sion) uiito-Aishah  (Adam's 
volitive  faculty)  because  of- 
what  declared,  HE-the-Gods, 
not-shall-you-feed  from-the 
whole-growth  of-the-organ- 
ic-enclosure? 


1.  Or-1'Ardeur-c  u  p  i  d  e 
(1'interet,  1'envie,  1'ego- 
isme)  etait  une-passion- 
generale  (un  principe  aveu- 
gle)  parmi-toute  1'anima- 
lite  de-la-Nature-elemen- 
taire  laquelle  avait-faite 
IHOAH,  LUi-les-Dieux :  et- 
elle  dit  (cette  passion)  a- 
Aishah  (la  facultS  volitive 
d'Adam)  a-cause  de-quoi 
declara  LUi-les-Dieux,  non- 
pas  -  vous  -  vous-alimenterez 
de-toute  substance  de-l'en- 
ceinte-organique? 


Let  us  examine  the  word  E?nJ  with  the  attention  it  merits,  in 
order  to  prove  the  meaning  contained  in  its  root,  not  only  by  means 
of  all  the  analogous  idioms  which  possess  it,  but  also  by  its  own 
hieroglyphic  composition. 

This  root  is  En,  which,  as  I  have  said  in  explaining  the  -word 
^En  ,  darkness,  indicates  always  an  inner  covetousness,  a  centralized 
fire,  which  acts  with  a  violent  movement  and  which  seeks  to  distend 
itself.  The  Chaldaic,  derives  a  great  many  expressions  from  it,  all 
of  which  are  related  to  anxiety,  agony,  sorrow  and  painful  passions. 
It  is  literally,  a  torref action ;  figuratively,  an  eager  covetousness,  in 
the  Arabic  j£*.  It  is  a  suffering,  a  grievous  passion,  in  the  Syriac 
-•u-j  or  -*.».**.  It  is  finally,  a  turbulent  agitation,  in  the  Ethiopic 
yft(PW  (housh).  This  root  verbalized  in  the  Hebraic  ^Tin,  depicts 
the  action  of  being  precipitated,  of  being  carried  with  violence  toward 
a  thing.  The  analogous  verbs  have  the  same  meaning  in  Arabic, 
Ethiopic  and  Syriac.  There  is  nothing  in  these  which  restricts  us 
to  the  idea  of  a  serpent. 

The  hieroglyphic  analysis  can  perhaps  give  us  the  key  to  this 
mystery.  The  reader  \vill  doubtless  remember  that  I  have  several 


96  THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


2.     Wa-th  Corner     ha- 

A  i  s  h  a  h  asl-ha-Nahash  mi-  '   ,  T    . 

pheri  hetz  ha-gan  naochel.  :  ™M  fJH 


times  set  down  two  different  roots,  ")X  and  CN,  to  designate  equally, 
the  first  principle,  the  elementary  principle  and  the  unknown  prin- 
iple  of  things.  I  shall  now  state  the'  important  difference  that  the 
Egyptian  priests  conceived  between  these  two  roots,  and  in  what 
manner  they  expressed  this  difference. 

They  attached  to  both,  the  idea  of  movement;  but  they  con- 
sidered "IN  as  the  symbol  of  movement  proper,  rectilinear;  and  ETN 
as  that  of  relative  movement,  circular.  The  hieroglyphic  character 
which  corresponded  to  these  two  movements  was  likewise  a  serpent: 
but  a  serpent  sometimes  straight  and  passing  through  the  centre  of 
a  sphere,  to  represent  the  principle  "IN;  sometimes  coiled  upon  itself 
and  enveloping  the  circumference  of  this  sphere,  to  represent  the 
principle  £N.  When  these  same  priests  wished  to  indicate  the  union 
of  the  two  movements  or  the  two  principles,  they  depicted  a  serpent 
upright,  uncoiling  itself  in  a  spiral  line,  or  two  serpents  interlacing 
their  mobile  rings.  It  is  from  this  last  symbol  that  the  famous 
caduceus  of  the  Greeks  has  come. 

The  priests  were  silent  as  to  the  inner  nature  of  both  these 
principles;  they  used  indifferently  the  radicals  IN  or  rN  to  char- 
acterize the  ethereal,  igneous,  aerial,  aqueous,  terreous,  or  mineral 
principle;  as  if  they  had  wished  to  make  it  understood  that  they 
did  not  believe  these  simple  and  homogeneous  things,  but  the  composite 
ones.  Nevertheless,  among  all  these  several  significations,  that  which 
appeared  the  most  frequently  was  that  of  fire.  In  this  case,  they 
considered  the  igneous  principle  under  its  different  relations,  sentient 
or  intelligible,  good  or  evil,  and  modified  the  radical  word  which 
represented  it,  by  means  of  the  signs.  Thus,  for  example,  the  prim- 
itive *,N  became  TX  to  designate  elementary  fire,  ^X  light,  VX 
intelligible  brightness,  etc.  If  the  initial  vowel  is  hardened,  it  takes 
a  character  more  and  more  vehement.  -,"  represented  an  exaltation, 
literally  as  well  as  figuratively:  "in,  a  burning  centre,  12  a  passion- 
ate, disordered,  blind  ardour.  The  primitive  CX  was  nearly  the  same. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  97 

2.     And-she-said,  Aishah  2.     Et-elle-dit  A  i  s  h  a  h 

(Adam's  volitive  faculty)  (ia  faculte  volitive)  a-cette- 

to-that-covetous    (passion)  :  ardeur-cupide :  du  fruit,  sub- 

the-fruit,  growing-substance  stance    de-1'enceinte-organi- 

of-the-organic-enclosure,  we-  que,    nous-nous-pouvons-ali- 

may-feed-upon.  menter. 


The  movement  alone  still  distinguished  the  two  principles,  whether 
they  were  exalted  or  whether  they  were  debased.  The  rectilinear 
movement  inherent  in  the  primitive  IX ,  prevented  the  confusing  of 
its  derivatives  with  those  of  the  primitive  UK,  in  which  the  gyratory 
movement  dominated.  The  two  radicals  Tl  and  E?n  represented 
alike  a  central  fire;  but  in  the  first  in,  it  was  a  central  fire  from 
which  the  igneous  principle  radiated  with  violence;  whereas  in  the 
second  E?n,  it  was,  on  the  contrary,  a  central  fire  from  which  this 
same  principle  being  moved  in  a  circular  movement,  was  concentrated 
more  and  more  and  destroyed  itself. 

Such  was  the  hieroglyphic  meaning  of  this  root  which  I  have 
already  examined  under  its  idiomatic  relations.  This  coincidence 
ought  not  to  leave  any  doubt  in  the  mind  of  the  reader.  Now  the 
sign  which  governs  it  in  the  word  E?fO ,  is  that  of  passive  action, 
individual  and  corporeal;  so  that  the  devouring  ardour  expressed  by 
the  root  T£n,  becomes  by  means  of  this  sign,  a  passive  ardour,  cold 
in  its  vehemence,  contained,  astringent  and  compressive.  Literally, 
it  is  every  hard  and  refractory  body;  everything  acrid,  cutting  and 
corroding;  as  copper,  for  example,  which  this  word  signifies  in  a  very 
restricted  sense;  figuratively,  it  is  every  sentiment,  painful,  intense 
or  savage,  as  envy,  egoism,  cupidity,  it  is,  in  a  word,  vice. 

This  is  the  real  signification  of  the  word  EnJ .  I  have  been 
obliged  to  extend  my  proofs  more  than  usual;  but  its  importance 
demands  it.  It  can  be  clearly  seen  that  it  does  not  signify  simply 
a  serpent.  Moses,  who  has  spoken  so  much  of  the  reptilian  life,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  Beraeshith,  was  careful  not  to  employ  it.  The  word 
yiE?  which  he  uses,  is  that  which,  in  his  idiom,  indicates  veritably 
a  serpent.  One  can  easily  recognize  here  the  source  of  the  French  and 
Latin  word,  and  that  of  the  Celtic  sertz,  which  is  preserved  without 
alteration  in  the  modern  Oscan. 

BVir,  the-Wind-and-general-passion What  proves  that  the  Sa- 


THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
3.     W'mi-pheri       ha-hetz     jrrTjira  *W   flfil 


men-nou,     w'loa-thigghehou 
b'6,  phen  themutthoiin. 


4.    Wa-iaomer  ha-Nahash     -tf?  nrafcrr1^  Btfjn 
sel-ha-Aishah   loa-moth   the- 
mutthoiin. 


maritan  translator  has  not  understood  the  word  Bill*,  is  that  he  has 
completely  missed  the  meaning  of  it.  He  renders  it  by  2/lt^T^A*  / 
keen,  cunning,  subtle,  and  makes  it  agree  thus,  with  the  strange  idea 
that  he  appears  to  have  really  had,  that  E?nJ  signified  a  serpent. 
The  word  ET2  "was  nevertheless  easy,  very  easy  to  explain;  but  how 
it  could  be  said  that  a  serpent  is  a  passion,  a  vehemence,  a  blindness, 
and  so  to  speak,  an  universal  impulse  in  productive  nature?  This  is, 
however,  what  is  found  in  the  root  13?  or  113?.  This  root  is  none 
other  than  the  primitive  IS ,  of  which  I  have  just  spoken  at  consider- 
able length,  and  which  Moses  causes  to  govern  here  by  the  sign  of 
material  sense  1>;  a  sign  almost  always  taken  in  the  bad  sense. 
The  final  sign  a,  which  he  adds  to  it,  indicates  that  the  idea  is 
generalized  and  should  be  taken  in  the  broadest  sense. 

All  the  derivatives  of  the  root  TIP,  present  a  certain  calamitous 
idea;  first,  it  is  1J?  a  violent  adversary;  TO?  a  privation  of  sight; 
then,  it  is  cri>  or  CVI>  a  desert,  a  barrenness,  a  complete  naked- 
ness, literally  as  well  as  figuratively;  it  is  mi>E  a  devastated  place,  an 
abyss,  a  cavern;  it  is  finally  }1"ir£,  an  absolute  blindness,  a  total 
abandonment.  In  the  sequence  of  these  words  can  be  placed  the  name 
that  the  Persians  gave  to  the  infernal  adversary  J^*>_ jt  (hariman) 
which  is  nothing  else  than  the  word  BIIJJ  referred  to  in  this  note, 
with  the  augmentative  syllable  ]}. 

v.  2.    All  these  terms  have  been  explained. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


99 


3.  But-from-the-fruit  of- 
the  growth-itself,  which-is- 
in-the-bottom-of  the-organic- 
enclosure,  he-declared,  HE- 
the-Gods :  not-may-you-feed 
upon-any-of-it  and-not-may- 
you-dive  (aspire,  breathe 
out  your  soul)  into-it;  lest 
you-might-cause  your  un- 
avoidable-dying. 


3.  Mais-du-fruit  de-la- 
substance-roeme  laquelle-est 
au-centre  de  l'enceinte-or- 
ganique,  il  dSclara,  LUi-les- 
Dieux:  non-pas  vous-pour- 
rez-vous-alimenter  de-quoi- 
de-lui,  et-n  o  n-p  a  s-v  o  u  s- 
pourrez-plonger  (aspirer 
votre  ame)  dans-lui;  de- 
peur-que  vous-vous-fassiez 
ine>itablement-mourir. 


4.     And-it-said,   eager-co- 
vetousness,     unto- A  is  hah 
(Adam's  volitive  faculty) 
not-in-dying  will-you  cause- 
your-unavoidable-dying. 


4.  Et-elle-dit,  la 
sion  -  ardente  -  de  -  la  -  con- 
voitise,  a  Aishah  (la  faculte 
volitive  d'Adam)  non-pas- 
mourant  vous-vous-ferez- 
in6vitablement-mourir. 


v.   3.     Ijnrrtf?'!,    and-not-may-you-dive That    Is    to   say,    it    is 

not  permitted  you  to  stretch  out,  to  aspire,  to  have  your  desires.  It 
is  the  verb  37"w3,  employed  here  according  to  the  enunciative  form, 
active  movement,  future  tense.  The  root  J?13,  from  which  this  verb 
springs,  is  remarkable:  it  signifies  literally,  in  its  verbal  state,  to 
expire,  to  bear  its  soul  wholly  into  another  life. 

yiHJSn,  yoit-might-cause-your-unavoidable-dying. . . .  This  is  the 
verb  nitt,  to  die,  used  according  to  the  intensive  form,  passive 
movement,  second  person  plural,  future  tense,  with  the  extensive 
sign  }.  This  final  sign  whose  effect  is  always  to  extend  the  physical 
and  moral  sense,  is  used  in  this  instance  by  Moses,  to  augment  the 
force  of  the  intensity  and  to  depict  imminent  future.  We  shall  see 
in  time,  the  character  D ,  giving  to  active  movement,  the  same  ex- 
tension that  the  one  of  which  I  have  been  speaking,  gives  to  passive 
movement. 

Finally  the  verb  fWi,  is  raised  from  the  root  HE  ,  whose  literal 
meaning  is  a  fusion,  a  sympathetic  extension,  a  passing,  a  return  to 
the  universal  seity,  according  to  the  expression  that  its  signs  involve. 
Thus  the  idea  that  is  contained  in  the  Hebraic  verb  nW  to  die,  has 
no  connection  with  anything  which  pertains  to  destruction  or  anni- 


100         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTORED 
5.      Chi    iodeha    ^Elohlm 


heinel-chem  w'ihithem  che-  :  JHJ  DID  »ITj' 

^Elohim    iodehei    tob    wa- 

rawh. 


6.    Wa-theraB    ha-Aishah    py(-y   ^-j^    13 
chi-tob     ha-hetz     Finaachal 
w'chl  thaawa  houa  la-heln- 
aim     wa-nihe-mad     ha-hetz 

™!'  J-t^a,^     W»  (TO  W*  1TW 
thitthen  gam-1'Aish-ha  him- 
ha,  wa-iao-chal. 


hilation,  as  Moses  has  been  accused  of  having  thought;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  to  a  certain  transmutation  of  the  temporal  substance.  See 
Rad.  Vocab.  root  nX  and  n» . 


v.  4.     n«J3"K7,    not-in-dying It    is    essential    to    notice    the 

repetition  that  Moses  makes  of  the  verb  ni?2  which  I  have  just 
explained. 

v.  5.  m*",  knowing. ...  I  have  spoken  of  the  formation  of  this 
facultative  in  v.  17,  of  the  preceding  chapter.  I  shall  only  state  here 
that  when  it  appears  in  the  verse  for  the  second  time  in  the  con- 
structive plural  *3TP,  the  luminous  sign  1  has  disappeared,  as  hiero- 
glyphic index  of  the  catastrophe  which  is  about  to  follow. 

inpSil,    shall-be-opened-to-light This   is   the   verb  n'pS 

used  according  to  the  enunciative  form,  passive  movement,  third 
person  plural,  past  tense,  rendered  future  by  the  convertible  sign  1. 
The  root  np  presents  the  idea  of  an  effort  that  one  makes  toward 
a  thing;  a  comprehension.  This  root  verbalized  in  nip  signifies  to  be 
extended,  to  be  dilated,  in  every  way:  governed  by  the  sign  £  ,  as  it 
is  in  the  example  in  question,  it  expresses  every  solution,  every  open- 
ing, especially  that  of  the  eyes  and  the  ears,  or  the  mouth. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


101 


5.  For  knowing,  HE-the- 
Gods,  that-in-the-day,  food- 
for-yourselves,  upon-some- 
of-it,  (you  will  use)  that- 
shall-be-opened-to-light  the- 
eyes-yours ;  and-you-shall- 
be  like-HE-the  Gods,  com- 
prehending-good  and-evil. 

6.  An  d-she-did-observe 
Aishah,  that-good-was  the- 
natural-g  r  o  w  t  h  for  the- 
sense-of-taste,  a  n  d-t  h  a  t 
both-desired-it-was  for-the- 
eyes,  and-pleasing  t  o-t  h  e- 
highest-rate,  that-growth, 
for-causing  to-generalise-in- 
telligence  (to  become  uni- 
versal )  ;  a  n  d-s  h  e-took-of f 
some  fruit-from-it  and-she- 
did-feed-thereupon,  a  n  d- 
she-gave-designedly  also-to 
the  -  intellectual  -  principle- 
h  e  r-o  w  n  ,  in-coalescence- 
with  her;  and-he-did-feed- 
thereupon. 


5.  Car  sachant,  LUi-les- 
Dieux,     que     dans-le-jour, 
aliment  a  vous  de-quoi-de- 
lui,     (vous     ferez)     seront- 
ouverts  -  a  -  la  -  lumiere,   les- 
yeux-a-vous,       et-vous-serez 
tels-que  LUi-les-Dieux,  con- 
naissant-le-bien  et-le-mal. 

6.  Et-elle-considera  Ais- 
hah, que  bonne-etait  la-sub- 
stance-el£mentaire  selon-1  e- 
gout,   et-que  mutuellement- 
desir6e-elle-etait     selon-les- 
yeux,     et-agreable    autant- 
que-p  o  s  s  i  b  1  e      cette-sub- 
stance,    selon-l'action-d'uni- 
versaliser-rintelligence;    et- 
elle-prit     du-fruit-sien,     et- 
ell6-s'alimenta,        e  t-e  1 1  e- 
donna-avec-intention   aussi- 
a-l'etre-intellectuel-sien,    r6- 
uni-k-elle ;   et-il-s'alimenta. 


v.  6.  iTiltn,  both-desired I  make  note  of  this  only  to  call 

attention  to  the  action  of  the  sign  n ;  its  root  is  IX  or  "N ,  which 
expresses  every  desire,  as  can  be  seen  in  the  Rad.  Vocab. 

V*3E?nV,  far-causing  to-generalize-intelUgence The  verb  V'SE 

signifies,  to  come  to  perfection,  to  achievement,  to  the  fullness  of 
things.  It  is  used  on  this  occasion  according  to  the  excitative  force, 
as  nominal  verb,  inflected  by  the  directive  article  b .  Its  root  ^O 
expresses  the  totality,  the  universality  of  things,  as  I  have  explained 
In  v.  1.  of  chapter  II.  This  root,  being  verbalized,  is  found  governed 
by  the  sign  of  relative  movement  C,  which  augments  its  force,  and 
gives  it  an  usurping  expression,  physically  as  well  as  morally. 


v.  7.      C 


*3,  that-void-of-light  ----     Refer  to  first  verse  of  this 


102         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
7.      Wa-thipkahena   hel- 


ithepherou    haleh    thsenah,  ;  fTUn  Drf? 

waia-hashou   la-hem   ha-go- 

roth. 


chapter.  It  is  always  the  same  root  "ill? ,  containing  the  idea  of  ardour, 
of  a  vehement  fire,  literally  as  -well  as  figuratively.  Formed  from  the 
root  "fix,  which  presents  the  idea  of  luminous  corporeity,  it  becomes 
its  absolute  opposite.  The  one  is  a  tranquil  action;  the  other,  a 
turbulent  passion:  here,  it  is  an  harmonious  movement;  there  it  is 
a  blind,  disordered  movement.  In  the  above  example,  the  sign  of 
manifestation  ",  has  replaced  the  sign  of  the  mystery  of  nature,  and 
in  this  way  Moses  has  wished  to  show  that  this  terrible  mystery  was 
unveiled  to  the  eyes  of  universal  man,  Adam.  I  can  go  no  further 
in  my  explanation:  the  earnest  reader  must  investigate  for  himself, 
the  force  and  the  concatenation  of  the  Hebraic  expressions;  I  have 

furnished  him  with  all  the  means.  The  word  JJ/jJjrt  JV  >  ^  which 
the  Samaritan  translator  has  rendered  Q"£Vy,  belongs  to  the  root  .-]£, 
image  of  darkness,  united  to  the  root  E?c,  which  develops  all  ideas  of 
inflation,  of  vacuity,  of  vanity.  The  word  CSP,  which  is  formed  from 
it,  signifies  an  enormous  excavation,  and  also  a  savage,  voracious 
animal. 

IIBrPl,  and-they-yielded-forth In  this  instance,  the  Hellenists 

have  obviously  and  with  deliberate  purpose,  exaggerated  the  vulgar 
sense,  so  as  to  thicken  more  and  more  the  veil  which  they  had  resolved 
to  throw  over  the  Sepher,  for  it  is  evident  that  the  verb  nVlB ,  used 
here  according  to  the  reflexive  form,  signifies,  to  produce,  to  bring 
forth,  to  fecundate,  and  not  to  sew.  I  do  not  see  how  they  dared  to 
take  this  ridiculous  expression  and  still  less  why  Saint  Jerome  agreed 
with  them.  The  Samaritan  version  and  the  Chaldaic  targum  offered 
him  quite  an  easy  way.  Here  are  their  verbal  translations. 

"And-they-condensed  a-condensation  (a 

thick  veil)j  elevation  of  sorrow._ 

mutual-and-of-mourning." 
"And-they-excited-profoundly     in-them 
a-trouble    (a   confusion    obscure)    of 
sorrow-mutual-and-of-mourning." 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  103 

7.  And-were-opened  the-  7.  Et-furent-ouverts  les- 
eyes  of-them-b  o  t  h  ;  and-  yeux  &  eux-deux ;  et-ils-con- 
they-knew  that-void-of-light  nurent  que  d  e  n  u  6  s-de- 
( barren,  unveiled  in  their  lumiere  (steriles,  reviles 
dark  origin)  they- were,  and-  dans  leur  obscur  principe) 
they-yielded-forth  a-dark-  ils-6taient;  et-ils-se-firent- 
covering  (thick  veil)  with-  n  alt  re  une-elevation-om- 
s  a  d  n  e  s  s-a  n  d  -  mourning-  breuse  (un  voile)  de-tris- 
formed ;  and-they-made-for-  t  e  s  s  e-mutuelle-et-de-deuil ; 
themselves-pilgrim-coats.  et-ils-firent-a-eux-des-peleri- 

nes  (des  vetemens  de  voya- 
ge). 


One  can  see  nothing  in  them  which  can  excuse  the  extravagant 
Greek  and  Latin  phrase:  Kal  tppafar  <pv\\a  wrf* ,  "et  consuerunt  folia 
ficus,"  and  they  sewed  fig-leaves! 

For  the  Hebraic  word  nby  signifies  neither  a  leal,  nor  leaves,  but 
a  shadowy  elevation,  a  veil;  a  canopy,  a  thing  elevated  above  anbthcr 
to  cover  and  protect  it.  It  is  also  an  elevation;  an  extension;  a  height. 
The  root  by  develops  all  these  ideas.  As  to  the  word  rOND,  I  admit 
that,  in  the  ignorance  which  prevailed  concerning  the  Hebraic  tongue, 
it  was  a  little  difficult  to  explain.  Yet  what  was  the  question?  Only 
to  distinguish  the  sign  n,  a  sign  that  the  most  ordinary  grammarians 
have  distinguished  as  an  heemanthe  or  paragogic,  and  to  which  they 
have  attributed,  under  these  two  relations,  the  faculty  of  expressing 
the  continuity  of  things  and  their  reciprocity.  This  distinction  made, 
the  word  ~2N  has  no  longer  the  least  difficulty.  It  is  an  expression 
of  grief  not  only  in  Hebrew,  but  in  Samaritan,  Chaldaic,  Syriac,  Arabic 
and  Ethiopic.  It  is  formed  of  an  onomatopoetic  root  which  depicts 
the  groans,  sobs,  pain  and  the  anhclation  of  a  person  who  suffers. 
This  expressive  root  belongs  to  all  tongues.  One  finds  it  united  to 
the  sign  r~l  on  several  occasions,  and  especially  to  express  a  deep, 
mutual  sorrow.  It  is  presumable  that  the  fig-tree  has  received  the 
metaphorical  name  of  n:xn  on  account  of  the  mournfulness  of  its 
foliage,  from  which  lactescent  tears  appear  to  flow  from  its  fruits. 
However  that  .may  be,  the  onomatopoetic  figure  which  is  here  presented 
for  the  first  time,  although  it  may  be  somewhat  rare  in  Hebrew,  Is 


104         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

8.     Wa-ishamehoti     39th-      D*rf?N  HIP?'  *7ip~fiN 
k61   IHOAH  ^Slohim  mithe- 
hallech    b'gan    Trouah    ha- 
iom,  wa-ithehabbae  ha- Adam     nlH*  'JSO 
w'aisheth-6    mi-phenei 
IH6AH     ^Elohim     be-thoch  •  f^  fV  T^? 

hetz  ha-gan. 


9.    Wa-ikera  I  HO  AH  ^Elo-     DlNn'1?^  D'H^  H1H* 
him  asl-ha-Adam,  wa-iaomer  T 

1'6  aie-chah. 


10.  Wa-iaomer  a3th-k61e- 
dha  shamahethi  ba-gan,  wa- 
aira  chi-heirom  anodhi,  wa- 


far  from  being  wholly  foreign  as  the  Rad.  Vocab.  has  shown.  It  Is 
at  first,  in  Hebrew,  as  in  the  Arabic  jj  or  A»  \  ,  only  a  kind  of  excla- 
mation as  alas!  but,  transformed  into  a  verb  by  means  of  the  converti- 
ble sign  1,  it  becomes  yiX  or  rrtiN  whose  meaning  is,  to  be  plunged 
in  grief,  to  cry  out  with  lamentations.  Thence  DUX  ,  sorrow,  af- 
fliction; and  finally  HJIXn  or  JTnxn  deep  and  concentrated  grief 


that  one  shares  or  communicates. 

v.  8.  t]Vnntt,  causing-itself-to-be-carried-to-and-fro  ____  This  is  the 
verb  Tpbn  employed  here  according  to  the  reflexive  form,  as  con- 
tinued facultative.  The  two  roots  which  compose  it  7jX~Vn  depicting 
the  two  opposed  movements,  excentric  and  concentric,  of  going  away 
from  and  drawing  near  to.  The  Hellenists  have  so  disfigured  the 
meaning  of  this  facultative,  that  instead  of  attributing  it  to  the  voice 
of  GOD,  they  have  applied  it  to  GOD  Himself,  and  have  not  hesitated 
to  say  that  the  Being-of-beings  walked  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of 

the   day:    irepnrarovvro^  iv  rf   vapaSfiffu  irpi*  Todci\u>6r. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


105 


8.  And-they-did-hear  the< 
roice-of    IHOAH,    HE-the- 
Being-of-beings,    causing-it- 
self-to-be-carried  -  to-and-f  ro, 
in-the-o  r  g  a  n  i  c  -  enclosure 
with-the-s  h  i  n  i  n  g    of -day- 
light:  and-he-hid-himself, 
Adam     (collective  m  an) 
and-the-intellectual  -  wife-of- 
him    (his  volitive   faculty) 
from-the-face-of  IHOAH,  HE- 
tlie-Gods,  in-the-b  o  s  o  m  of- 
the  generative-substance  of- 
the-organic-sphere, 

9.  And-he-utfcered  •«  t  h  e  - 
name,  IHOAH,  HE-the-Gods, 
to-him-Adam;     and-he-said 
to-him,  where-of-thee  (where 
has  brought  thee  thy  will )  ? 

10.  And-he-said  (answer- 
ing Adam) ,  that-voice-thine, 
I-did-hear      by-the-organic- 
enclosure,     and-I-d  i  d-k  e  n- 
that  void-of-light   (unveiled 
in     my    blindness)     I-was: 
and-I-hid-myself. 


8.  Et-ils-entendirent-la- 
voix-meme-de  IHOAH,  LUi-P- 
Etre-des-etres,  se-portant-en 
tous-sens,  dans-Penceinte-or- 
ganique,  selon-le-s  o  u  f  f  1  e- 
spiritueux  du-jour:  et-il-se- 
cacha,  Adam  (1'homme  uni- 
versel )  et-la-femme-intellec- 
tuelle-a-lui  (sa  faculte  voli- 
tive) de-la-face-de  IHOAH, 
LUi-les-Dieux,  au-centre  de- 
la-substance  de-la-sphere- 
organique. 


9.  Et-il-prononcu-le-nom, 
IHOAH,  LUi-les  Dieux,  ^t-lui- 
Adam;  et-il-dit-a-lui :  ou-de- 
toi   (ou  t'a  port6  ta  volon- 
te)? 

10.  Et-il-dit    (repondant 
Adam)     cette-voix-t  i  e  n  n  e 
j'ai-entendue    en-1'enceinte- 
organique  et-j'ai-vu-que  de- 
nue-de-lumiere  (reve!6  dans 
mon   obscurite)    j'etais:   et- 
je-me-suis-cache. 


v.  9.  n2*N ,  where-of-theeT . . . .  The  root  *X  contains  not  only 
all  ideas  of  desire,  will,  inclination;  but  it  designates  also  the  place, 
the  object  toward  which  all  these  ideas  tend,  so  that  Moses  in  uniting 
to  this  root  the  nominal  affix  of  the  second  person  ro  with  its  ena- 
phatic  termination,  has  made  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  forceful 
ellipses  that  has  ever  been  made  in  any  human  tongue. 

v.  10.     All  of  these  terms  are  understood. 

Y.    11.      Wl,    but-from-that Moses,    by    another    very    bold 


106         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


11.    Wa-iaomer  mi  higgid 
Fcha  chi-heirom  athah    ha-  -^  ^ 

min-ha-hetz  asher  tziwithi-       I  •    •  .\-r\-. 

cha  lebilethi  achal  mimen- 
noft  achaletha. 


12.    Wa-iaomer  ha-Adam, 

£±S  E£  £5±£ 

I'l  min-ha-hetz,  wa-aodhel. 


ellipsis,  takes  as  substantive  the  extractive  preposition  p  ,  and  applies 
to  it  the  determinative  article  H,  thus  making  it  the  cause  of  the 
collusion  of  Adam. 


v.  12.  DtUXn,  Aishah  ----  I  have  spoken  sufficiently  of  the  word 
E"K  whence  comes  the  -word  "EX  ,  but  I  beg  the  reader  to  observe 
closely  here,  with  what  force  and  what  justice  the  cosmogonical  ideas 
of  Moses  are  connected  and  developed. 

Universal  man  C"iN%,  being  unable  to  remain  in  his  universality, 
without  remaining  also  in  the  volitive  homogeneity  of  the  Being-of- 
beings  QTibx,  and  consequently  in  a  sort  of  relative  necessity,  leaves 
this  close  dependence,  when  receiving  a  new  development  which 
individualizes  and  makes  him  an  intelligent  being  r*N  ;  that  is  to  say, 
a  being  susceptible  of  willing  and  of  choosing  freely  for  himself.  The 
faculty  which  gives  him  power,  emanates  from  himself;  it  is  his  intel- 
lectual companion  ~rx,  his  creative  force:  for  it  is  by  it  that  he 
creates;  it  is  by  means  of  this  volitive  faculty  that  he  realizes  his 
conceptions.  He  wills;  and  that  which  he  wills  exists.  But  this 
faculty  is  not  homogeneous  with  the  universal  creative  faculty  of  the 
Being-of-beings  ;  for  if  it  were,  it  would  not  exist,  or  Adam  would  be 
GOD.  It  has  only  the  degree  of  force  and  extent  that  is  given  it,  by 
the  degree  that  Adam  occupies  in  the  order  of  the  divine  emanations. 
It  can  do  all,  except  to  create  itself  in  going  back  to  its  principle  and 
taking  possession  of  it.  It  is  essential  that  universal  man  should  know 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  107 

11.  And-he-said      (^Elo-  11.     Et-il-dit    (^lohim), 
him):   who  has-taught-thee  qui  a-enseigne-a-toi  qu'ainsi- 
that-thus    bare-thou-wast?  denu6    tu    eiais?    sinon-de- 
but-f  r  o  ra-t  h  a  t-n  a  t  u  r  a  1  cette-substance-physique  de- 
growth    which-I-prescribed-  laquelle      j'avais-prescrit-a- 
unto-thee    not-to-feed-upon-  toi    do   nullement-t'-alimen- 
any-of-it.  ter  de-quoi-d'elle. 

12.  And-he-said     Adam  12.      Et-il-dit- Adam     (!'- 
(collective  man)  :  A  is  hah  homme   universel)  :   Aishah 
(the  volitive  faculty)  whom  (la  faculte  volitive)  que-tu- 
t  h  o  u-didst-give,   propping-  donnas-compagne-i\-moi,   el- 
mate-of-mine,  it-is-that  gave  le-est-celle-qui     a-donn6     a- 
-to-me  from-that-elementary  moi   de-cette-snbstance-phy- 
-growth,    and-I-have-fed-up-  s  i  q  u  e ;    et-je-m'en-suis-ali- 
on.  ment6. 


this  important  point  at  which  his  power  is  arrested,  so  that  he  does 
not  lose  himself  through  abuse  of  his  liberty,  and  the  retrograde 
movement  of  his  volitive  faculty.  Moses  takes  the  precaution  of  caus- 
ing him  to  be  instructed  by  the  mouth  of  GOD  Himself,  not  under  the 
form  of  an  absurd  and  despotic  command,  as  the  ignorant  translators 
have  made  it  understood,  but  in  the  form  of  a  counsel,  a  paternal 
warning.  Adam  can  make  use  of  everything  in  the  immense  radius 
of  the  organic  sphere  which  is  allotted  to  him;  but  he  cannot  without 
risking  his  intellectual  existence,  touch  the  centre:  that  is  to  say,  by 
wishing  to  seize  the  double  principle  of  good  and  evil,  upon  which 
stands  the  essence  of  his  intellectual  being. 

In  all  this,  there  is  no  question  of  planted  garden,  tree,  fruit,  rib, 
woman,  or  serpent,  because,  I  cannot  repeat  too  often,  Adam  is  not, 
in  the  thought  of  Moses,  a  man  of  blood,  of  flesh  and  bones;  but  a 
man,  spiritually  and  universally  conceived,  an  intellectual  being,  of 
which  Aishah  is  the  creative  faculty,  that  which  realizes  his  concep- 
tions in  causing  them  to  pass  from  power  into  action  by  his  will. 

Although  this  doctrine  is  assuredly  to  my  liking,  I  do  not  pretend 
to  be  answerable  for  it;  because  I  am,  at  this  time,  only  translator. 
I  give  the  Hebraic  expressions  as  nearly  as  is  possible  for  me  to  do; 


108        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 

13.     Wa-iaomer  IHOAH     -no  n'N1?  D»rf7#  HilT 
^E  1  o  h  i  m   la-Aishah   mah- 
zaoth   hashith,   wa-thaomer 
ha-Aishah    ha-Nahash    his- 
hia-nl,  wa-aodhel. 


14.    Wa-iaomer  IHOAH     t^njrr1?^  D*rf?tf  JTirV 
^Elohim  fel-ha-Nahash,  6M- 


hashitha  zaoth,  arour  athah !      ^u  nn*  "  nK  nM 
mi-chol    ha-behemah,    w'mi- 
chol  haiath  ha-shadeh,  hal- 
ghehon-6ha   thelech,    w'hap- 
har  thaochal  dhol-iemel  hall- 


but  I  give  them  as  grammarian.  I  affirm  that  it  is  this  very  thing 
that  Moses  has  said,  without  affirming  that  it  is  this  very  thing  which 
is.  To  establish  a  system  is  one  thing;  to  explain  a  doctrine,  another. 

I  regard  Moses  as  a  very  great  man,  as  a  man  chosen  and  inspired 
by  Providence  to  fulfill  a  vast  plan;  but  I  am  far  from  believing  him 
infallible,  exempt  from  every  kind  of  error.  It  is  for  his  Book,  re- 
stored in  its  veritable  expressions,  to  speak  for  him,  and  to  defend 
him.  All  that  I  have  endeavoured  to  do  is  to  put  the  reader  within 
reach  of  understanding  it,  freed  from  the  thick  veil  which  disguised 
it. 

As  to  my  translation,  I  leave  it  to  itself.  Let  my  readers  judge 
whether  it  is  not  more  conformable,  not  only  to  the  genius  of  such 
a  man  as  Moses,  learned  in  all  the  sciences  of  the  Egyptians,  but  also 
to  simple  human  reason,  to  conceive  a  covetous  passion,  fermenting 
in  elementary  nature,  which  insinuates  itself  in  the  volitive  faculty 
of  the  intelligent  being,  excites  his  pride,  and  persuades  him  to  obtain 
possession  of  the  very  principle  of  his  existence,  in  order  to  exist  in 
an  absolute  manner,  and  to  rival  the  Being  of  beings,  than  to  see 
a  serpent,  the  most  subtle  of  the  beasts  of  the  field,  crawling  before 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


109 


13.  And-he-said,    IHOAH, 
HE-the-Gods,  unto  Ais  hah 
(Adam's    volitive    faculty) 
why-this     hast-thou     done? 
a  n  d-Aishah-said     (answer- 
ing)      eager-self-c  o  n  c  e  1 1 
(groveling  passion)  caused- 
me-to-become-delirious  and- 
I-did-feed. 

14.  And-he-said,  IHOAH, 
the-Being-of-beings,    u  n  t  o- 
t  h  a  t-covetous-passion,     be- 
cause   thou-hast-done    that, 
cursed  be-thou!   amidst-all- 
terrestrial-animality,    a  n  d- 
amidst-all-life  of-nature:  ac- 
cording-to-the-o  b  1  i  q  u  i  t  y- 
thine    thou-shalt-grovelling- 
ly-proceed  and-earth-exhale- 
ments    thou-shalt-feed-upon 
all  the-days  of-the  life-thine. 


13.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  LUI- 
les  Dieux,  £  Aishah  (la  fa- 
cult6  volitive d'Adam)  pour- 
quoi-cela  fis-tu?  et-elle-dit 
(repondant)  Aishah,  Por- 
gueil-cupide  (cette  insi- 
dieuse  passion)  fit-delirer- 
moi,  et-je-m'alimentai. 


14.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  P- 
fitre-des-etres),  a-ce-vice-in- 
sidieux  (passion  cupide) 
puisque  tu-as-fait  cela,  mau- 
dit  sois-tu  parmi-tout-le- 
regne-animal  et-parmi-toute- 
vie-de-la-nature-elementaire. 
D  '  a  p  r  e  s-1'inclination-tor- 
tueuse  -  tienne  tu  -  agiras- 
bassement  et-d'exhalaisons- 
physiques  tu  -  alimenteras 
tous-les-jours-de  1'existence- 


a  woman,  seducing  her  and  causing  her  to  eat  of  the  fruit  of  a  certain 
tree,  planted  in  a  certain  garden,  so  as  to  become  equal  to  the  gods. 

v.  13.  *iX*2?,"l,  caused-me-to-become-delirious The  real  root  of 

this  word  has  never  been  perceived.  Nearly  all  the  translators  have 
seen  a  certain  verbXCi,  which  has  never  existed.  It  is  simply  the 
substantive  HVD,  which  expresses  the  idea  of  disorder,  and  of  void 
in  the  thoughts,  employed  as  verb  according  to  the  excitative  form, 
active  movement,  with  the  verbal  affix  "0 .  The  root  proper  of  the 
substantive  is  N£,  symbol  of  all  whirling,  frenzied,  frantic  .movement. 
It  appears  to  be  formed  by  the  reversing  of  the  primitive  £X . 

v.  14.  ?pns,  thine-obliquity It  was  quite  natural  that  those 

who  had  seen  only  a  serpent  in  an  insidious  passion,  should  see  only 
a  belly  where  they  ought  to  see  the  turnings,  the  inclination,  of  this 
same  passion.  The  word  "jni  holds  to  the  root  p,  of  which  I  have 
already  spoken  in  v.  8.  ch.  II,  and  which,  being  found  at  that  time 
relating  to  universal  man,  has  been  taken  for  a  garden.  The  sign  of 


110        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 


15.  W'aeibah  ashith  bein- 
cha  w'bein  ha-Aishah,  w'- 
bein  rah-eha  w'bein  zareh-  W  »"  TV  J'31  !|jnr  f 
ha  hoiia  ishouph-cha  roash 
w'athah  thesouphe-noii  ha- 
keb. 


elementary  existence  which  is  here  added  to  the  root  in  question, 
depicts  admirably  the  idea  of  Moses.  But,  in  order  that  I  may  not 
be  accused  of  having  seen  inappropriately  in  the  -word  ]n$,  a  moral 
bending,  an  inclination,  I  must  state  that  the  Hebrew  verb  "jlni,  which 
is  derived  from  it,  signifies  to  bend,  to  incline,  and  that  it  is  the  same 
in  the  Chaldaic,  and  in  the  Arabic  U»>.  •  As  to  the  verb  following  Tj^n 
thou-shalt-grovellingly-proceed,  which  all  the  translators  have  believed 
to  be  from  the  verb  tjibn  to  go  and  come,  to  walk  up  and  down,  it  is 
derived  from  the  compound-radical  Tj'bb  or  from  the  radical  t]*^  both 
of  which  signify  literally  to  get  dirty,  to  wallow,  and  figuratively,  to 
behave  iniguitously,  basely. 

1DJ?1  and-earth-exhalements . . . .  That  is  to  say,  igneous  spirits, 
elementary  vapours,  and  perhaps  also  corporeal  illusions.  I  have 
explained  the  roots  of  which  this  word  is  composed,  in  v.  7.  ch.  II. 
I  shall  only  observe  that  this  word  was  then  used  as  facultative, 
instead  of  substantive  as  it  is  here. 

v.  15.  ?yi1ZP,  shall  repress The  verb  --j-iSZ?  signifies  to  cen- 
tralize, to  act  from  the  the  circumference  to  the  centre,  as  is  proved 
by  the  signs  12?  and  D,  of  which  the  one  expresses  relative  movement, 
and  the  other,  interior  action,  particularly  in  its  relations  with  the 
paternal  sign  2,  which  it  often  replaces.  This  verb  is  used  here 
according  to  the  positive  form,  active  movement,  future  tense.  It  is 
governed  by  the  third  person  masculine,  because  the  word  I'll ,  which 
signifies  literally  seed,  and  which  I  have  rendered  in  this  instance  by 
the  word,  progeny,  is  masculine  in  Hebrew. 

U?XT,  the-principle This  word  signifies  not  only  the  head  or 

the  principle,  as  I  have  already  said:  but  it  also  signifies  the  source 
of  evil,  the  venom.  In  this  case  the  elementary  root  £N  is  taken  in 
the  bad  sense,  and  the  sign  "I,  which  governs  it,  is  regarded  as  symbol 
of  disordered  movement. 

DpJJ,  the-bad-conseguences  (of  evil)....  Those  who  have  seen 
in  this  same  verse  the  bruised  head  of  a  serpent,  have  seen  here  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  111 

15.  A  n  d-a  n-antipathy  15.  E  t-u  n  e-antipathie- 
( natural  averseness  I- will-  profonde,  je  metterai  entre- 
put  between-thee  and-be-  toi  et-entre  Aishah  (la  fa- 
tween  Aishah  (Adam's  voli-  culte  volitive  d'Adam)  et- 
tive  faculty)  and-between  entre  la-propagation-a-toi, 
the  seed-thine,  and-between  et-e  n  t  r  e-la-propagation-a- 
the-seed  of-it:  it-shall  (that-  elle:  elle  (cette  merae  pro- 
seed)  repress-to-thee  t  h  e-  pagation)  comprimera  (re- 
venomous-principle;  and-  streindra)-a-toi  le-principe 
thou  shalt-repress  the-bad  venimeux  et-toi,  tu-compri- 
consequences  (of  evil).  meras-a-elle  les-suites  (du 

mal). 


bitten  heel  of  a  woman:  but  how  can  the  verb  rflV ,  signify  at  the 
same  time  to  bruise,  that  is  to  say,  to  trample  upon,  and  to  biteT 
For  Moses  was  careful  to  repeat  this  verb  twice.  If  the  modern 
Hebraists  had  wished  to  detach  themselves  a  moment  from  the  Hel- 
lenists, they  might  have  seen  that  the  word  2J?3?  used  here  as  the  an- 
tithesis of  EX1,  could  not  mean  simply  the  heel,  except  in  the  most 
restricted  sense;  but  that,  in  its  most  ordinary  signification,  it 
expresses  the  consequences,  the  traces  of  a  thing,  and  particularly 
of  evil,  whose  material  sign  y  it,  moreover,  bears.  Indeed,  this  can 
be  proved  by  a  great  number  of  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic  passages,  in 
which  this  word  signifies  fraud,  perversity,  malice  and  all  the  evil 
qualities  generally,  which  belong  to  vice. 

v.  16.  }12Xy,  the-woeful-natural-hindrances The  word  2X2 

employed  twice  in  this  verse  merits  a  particular  attention.  It  springs 
from  the  two  contracted  roots  23»~yj? .  The  first  yy  should  be  known 
to  us.  It  is  the  same  one  which  forms  the  name  of  that  mysterious 
substance  whose  usage  was  forbidden  to  intellectual  man.  It  is  not 
difficult  to  recognize  in  it,  sentient,  corporeal  substance,  and  in  general, 
the  emblem  of  that  which  is  physical,  in  opposition  to  that  which  is 
spiritual.  The  second  22  contains  the  idea  of  that  which  .is  raised 
as  hindrance,  swells  with  wrath,  arrests,  prevents  a  thing,  opposes 
•with  effort,  etc. 

Moses  employs  first,  the  word   f,:xy,  after  having  added  the  ex- 


112        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 


16.     Al-ha-Aishah    amar,     n^N  rO^H  "ION  Jl^'Nil 
ha-rebbah  ha-rebbeh  hittze- 
bone-che    w'herone-che,    b>- 
hetzeb  theledi  banim  w'ael-- 
Alshe-che  theshoukathe-che, 
v'houa  Imoshal  ba-che. 


tensive  syllable  fi,  wishing  to  indicate  the  general  obstacles  which 
shall  be  opposed  henceforth  to  the  unfoldment  of  the  will  of  intellectual 
man,  and  which  shall  multiply  its  conceptions,  forcing  them  to  become 
divided  and  subdivided  ad  infinitum.  He  then  makes  use  of  the  simple 
word  DtfjJ ,  to  depict  the  pain,  the  torment,  the  agony  which  shall  ac- 
company its  least  creations.  This  hierographic  writer  would 
have  it  understood,  that  the  volitive  faculty  shall  no  more  cause  intel- 
lectual conceptions  to  pass  from  power  into  action,  without  inter- 
mediary; but  that  it  shall  experience,  on  the  contrary,  deviations 
without  number  and  obstacles  of  all  sorts,  whose  resistance  it  shall 
be  able  to  overcome,  only  by  dint  of  labour  and  of  time. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  say  how  the  Hellenists  have  interpreted 
this  verse.  It  is  well  known  in  what  manner  the  ideas  of  Moses  were 
materialized,  and  how  the  volitive  faculty  having  been  transformed 
into  a  corporeal  woman,  the  physical  hindrances  opposed  to  the 
exercise  of  the  will,  have  been  no  more  than  the  pains  which  accom- 
pany childbirth.  But  one  cannot  accuse  the  Hellenists  entirely  of  this 
change.  It  was  an  inevitable  consequence  of  the  corruption  of  the 
Hebraic  tongue,  of  its  total  loss  and  of  the  wretched  inclination  of 
the  Jews  to  bend  everything  to  their  gross  ideas.  Moreover  the  vulgar 
translation  seems  to  offer  at  first  some  appearance  of  reason.  Only 
a  moment  of  reflection,  nevertheless,  is  necessary  to  discover  the  error, 
as  I  hope  to  show  in  a  few  words. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  not  true  that  Moses  made  the  Being  of 
beings  say,  that  he  will  multiply  the  sorrows  and  the  conceptions 
as  the  Hellenists  translate  it,  X^at  *al  fraypol* ;  but  that  he  will 
multiply  the  number  of  the  obstacles  and  the  conceptions,  as  Saint 
Jerome  has  not  been  prevented  from  seeing,  "aerumnas  et  conceptus". 
The  Hellenists  have  followed,  in  this  instance,  a  poor  phrasing  of  the 

Samaritans:  ^|j|JjlJV^S*^/rf^f?^T0V»  whereas  Saint  Jerome 
adhered  to  the  Chaldaic  targum  as  more  conformable  with  the 
Hebrew: 


COSMOGONY  OP  MOSES  113 

16.     Unto-the-volitive-fa-  16.  '    A-la-facult6-volitive, 

culty,  he-said :  the-number  I-  il-dit:    le-nombre    je-multi- 

shall-multiply  of-t he-woeful-  plierai     des-obstacles-physi- 

natural-hindrances-t  h  i  n  e ,  ques-de-toute-sorte-a-toi,  et- 

and-bf-the-conceits-of-thee;  des-conceptions-tienne :    en- 

in-panging-1  a  b  o  u  r     thou-  travail-angoisseux  tu-enfan- 

shalt-bring- forth    products :  teras  des-produits ;   et-vers- 

and-  toward-the-intellectual  le-principe-intellectuel-a-toi 

principle-thine,    the-desire-  le-penchant-tu-a  u  r  a  s-tien ; 

thou-shalt-lean  of-thee;  and-  et-lui  il-dominera  en-toi  (s'y 

he   will-rule   in-thee    (sym-  repr6sentera       symbolique- 

bolical  acting).  ment). 


Now,  I  ask,  in  the  second  place,  how  the  Being-of-belngs  could 
have  said  to  the  corporeal  woman  that  he  would  multiply  the  number 
of  her  conceptions  or  her  pregnancies,  as  one  understands  It,  since  it 
would  in  such  a  manner  shorten  her  life?  Would  he  not  rather  have 
said  that  he  would  diminish  the  number,  by  rendering  them  more 
and  more  painful  and  laborious?  But  the  Hebraic  text  is  clear  as 
the  day.  There  is  strong  evidence  that  the  Hellenists  only  abandoned 
it  to  follow  the  Samaritan  version,  because  they  saw  plainly  that  it 
exposed  the  spiritual  meaning,  as  indeed  it  does.  For,  while  it  is  in 
accordance  with  reason  and  experience,  to  think  that  the  volitive 
conceptions  increase  in  proportion  to  the  obstacles  which  are  opposed 
to  their  realization  and  which  force  them  to  be  divided,  it  is  absurd 
and  contradictory  to  affirm  it  of  the  pregnancies  of  physical  woman, 
which  are  necessarily  diminished  with  the  pains,  maladies  and  suffer- 
ings which  accompany  and  follow  them. 

C^D  *T?n,  thou-shalt-bring-forth  products....  The  compound 
radical  verb  Tib*  comes  from  the  root  T? ,  which,  formed  by  the  union 
of  the  signs  of  directive  movement  and  of  natural  abundance,  expresses 
all  propagation,  all  generation,  all  extension  of  being.  This  verb  Is 
employed  in  Hebrew,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively,  as  much  in 
relation  to  the  generation  of  spirit,  as  to  that  of  substance,  without 
any  distinction  of  sex:  so  that  it  is  wrong  when  one  has  wished  to 
restrict  the  meaning  to  a  corporeal  childbirth.  The  word  which 
follows  Q*3D,  is  also  very  far  from  signifying  simply  children.  It 
characterizes,  in  general,  the  analogous  creations  of  a  creative  being, 
whatever  it  may  be. 


114        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 
17.    WTAdam,  amar,  6hi-      ^1p^  nyO£>  »3  "iON 


ron* 

hetz  ash&r  tziwithicha  1'- 
senior  loa-thaochal  mi-men- 
nou;  arrourah  ha-ftdamah 
bahabour  cha,  b'hitzabon 
thoachelnah  chol-iemei  haii- 
cha. 


ypp'EH  ,  the-desire-thou-shalt-lean  of-thee  ____  This  is  an  ellipsis 
of  such  boldness  that  the  Hebrew  tongue  is  the  only  one  that  permits 
it.  The  verb  p*£  signifies  to  have  a  movement,  a  tendency  toward 
a  determined  end,  as  water,  for  example.  Now,  in  what  manner  does 
Moses  express  the  tendency  which  the  volitive  faculty  shall  submit 
to  its  intellectual  principle?  He  takes  this  verb,  and  after  having 
employed  it  according  to  the  positive  form  of  the  second  person  future, 
feminine  singular,  he  makes  abruptly  a  constructive  noun  of  it,  by 
means  of  the  sign  n,  which  he  adds  to  it;  in  this  state  he  joins  the 
nominal  affix  ?)  ,  as  if  to  say  in  an  hieroglyphic  manner,  that  the 
dependence  in  which  the  will  shall  be  with  regard  to  its  principle, 
shall  take  away  nothing  of  its  liberty  and  shall  be  as  a  result  of 
its  own  tendency.  I  know  of  no  other  tongue  in  the  world  where 
this  ellipsis  could  be  rendered. 

btV*  ,  he-will-rule  ----  The  verb  y,£S,  which  means  equally  to 
rule,  and  to  be  represented,  to  be  expressed  by  symbols,  is  used  with 
purpose  in  this  passage,  to  conceal  no  doubt  a  mystery  which  is  not 
my  purpose  to  penetrate;  for  I  translate  Moses  and  do  not  comment. 
One  can  see  what  I  have  said  in  v.  16  ch.  1.  The  Samaritan  makes 

use  of  the  same  verb 


v.  17.    There  are  no  difficult  terms  here. 

v.  18.  yip  ,  and-harsh-and-rough-productions  ....  The  root  yip 
expresses  the  action  of  cutting,  cutting  off,  tearing.  It  is  impossible 
not  to  feel  here,  the  effect  of  the  compressive  and  cutting  sign  p 
united  to  the  terminative  sign  y. 

"l""iTi  ,  and-the-uncultivated-and-unruly-productions.  .  .  .  The  root 
11  furnishes  the  idea  of  circuit,  of  order,  period,  age  and  circular 
habitation;  but  in  doubling  the  last  character,  which  is  that  of  move- 
ment proper,  one  opens,  as  it  were,  the  circle,  and  obtains  the  intensive 
root  111,  which  signifies  license,  a  rupture  of  order,  an  invasion.  It  is 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


115 


17.  And-uuto-Adam  (col- 
lective man )  he-said :  because 
thou-hast-listened  t  o-t  h  e- 
voice  of-the-intellectual- 
mate-thine  (thy  volitive  fa- 
culty) and-hast-fed-u  p  o  n 
the-elementar  y-growth 
which  I-did-prescribe-to- 
thee  by-saying:  not-shalt 
t  h  o  u-feed-upon  any-of-it : 
cursed!  be-the-adamic  (ho- 
mogeneal,  universal  ground) 
f  o  r-t  h  e-s  a  k  e-thine :  with- 
panging-labour  shalt-thou- 
feed-u  p  o  n-i  t  all-the-days 
(manifesting  lights)  of-the- 
lives-thine-own. 


17.  Et-a-Adaw  (I'homme 
universel)  il-dit:  puisquetu- 
as-ecoute  a-la-voix  de  T- 
e  p  o  u  s  e-intellectuelle-a-toi 
(ta  faculte  volitive)  et-que- 
tu-t'es-alimente  de-cette  sub- 
stance, laquelle  j'avais-forte- 
ment-recommande  a-toi,  se- 
lon-ce-dire :  non-pas-tu-t'ali- 
menteras  d  e-q  u  o  i-d'elle : 
maudite!  soit-la-terre-ada- 
mique  (homogene  et  simi- 
laire  a  toi)  dans-le-rapport 
-tien :  en-travail-angoisseux 
tu-t'alimenteras-d'elle  tous- 
les-jours  (les  manifestations 
phenomeniques)  des-vies-a- 
toi. 


this  last  word  that  is  derived  from  the  one  which  makes  the  subject 
of  this  note,  and  by  which  one  expresses,  in  general,  all  unruly  pro- 
ductions, whether  literal  or  figurative.  The  Hebraic  genius  derives 
liberty,  in  the  good  sense,  from  the  word  TTI,  which  is  license  or  evil 
liberty,  by  simply  inserting  the  intellectual  sign  *,  as  is  seen  in  the 
word  Tj-n. 

2rr,  upon-the-most-sharp-and-wasted-fruits-of-nature....  We  know 
that  the  primitive  root  EX  is  applied,  in  general,  to  the  elementary 
principle  of  things,  and  in  particular,  to  fire.  We  also  know  that  by 
reinforcing  the  initial  vowel  X,  it  suffices  to  increase  progressively  its 
force.  Now,  if  the  word  which  is  the  subject  of  this  note,  is  composed 
of  the  contracted  roots  SX'CJ?,  of  which  there  is  no  doubt,  it  will 
signify  not  simply  x°PT^f>  dried  grass,  herb  of  the  field,  following  the 
interpretation  of  the  Hellenists,  weakened  by  Saint  Jerome;  but  indeed, 
a  sharp  and  wasted  fructification.  For  this  is  the  true  meaning  of 

the  word  2S?y .    The  Arabic    »_-i£   is  explicit. 

v.  19.     ?j*Ei'  n'TD,  in-a-tossing-motion  of-the-mind-thine When 

the  Hellenists  said,  l»  tSpurt  row  rpwrA-rov  <rov  :  in  the  sweat  of  thy 
face,  the  natural  inference  is,  that  this  phrase  was  in  the  Hebrew 
text,  but  it  is  not  there.  The  face  of  Adam  has  never  sweat  physically 
except  in  the  mind  of  the  translators  of  Moses.  The  hierographic 


116        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 

18.     W'kdtz    w'dareddar     fi^N)  ^7  D'PVfl 
thatzemiha    la-cha    w'adha- 
leth  leth-hesheh  ha-shadeh. 


19    B'zewhath  apphei-dha     i 
thoachal  lehem,  had  shoiib-  _  , 

cha  teel-ha-Adamah,  chl-mi-     nl?P    '?    nP7*??  ^ 
men-nah    lukkahetha    chi-      "Ifiir1?^)  HfiN 
haphar   athah   w'ael-haphar 
thashoub. 


writer  did  not  have  such  ideas.  The  word  njtt  comes  from  the  root 
1MT  which  develops  the  idea  of  a  restless  agitation,  an  anxiety,  a 
movement  of  fear  for  the  future.  The  word  which  follows  ^X  can, 
in  truth,  signify  the  nose,  in  a  very  restricted  sense,  but  it  expresses 
much  more  generally,  not  the  face,  but  the  irascible  part  of  the  soul 
which  constitutes  the  animistic  mind,  or  the  understanding. 

2W  13?.    till-the-restoring-thine The  verb    31E7,  being  formed 

of  the  root  Dtt?,  expressing  every  idea  of  restitution,  of  return  toward 
a  point  of  departure,  and  this  root  being  itself  composed  of  the  sign 
of  relative  duration,  and  of  the  paternal  and  central  sign,  it  is  evident 
that  this  verb  must  be  applied  to  every  moral  or  physical  revolution, 
which  brings  the  being  back  to  its  primitive  state.  See  Rad.  Vocab. 
roots  DE?,  D1X  and  W. 

1DJ>»  spiritual-element. Although  I  have  already  spoken  several 

times  of  this  important  word,  I  cannot  refrain  from  referring  to  it 
again  here,  because  it  is  to  the  wrong  interpretation  of  the  translators, 
that  one  must  impute  the  accusation  of  materialism  brought  against 
Moses;  an  accusation  from  which  it  was  impossible  to  clear  him  as 
long  as  one  had  only  the  version  of  the  Hellenists,  or  that  of  their 
imitators.  For,  if  man  is  drawn  from  the  dust,  and  if  he  must  return 
to  the  dust,  as  they  make  him  say,  where  is  his  immortality?  What 
becomes  of  his  spiritual  part?  Moses  says  nothing  of  it,  according 
to  them.  But  if  they  had  taken  the  trouble  to  examine  the  verb  aw 
they  would  have  seen  that  it  expressed  not  a  material  return,  but  a 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


117 


18.  And-harsh  and -rough 
productions  (thorns  and 
thistles)  shall-plentifully- 
g  r  o  w  for-thee ;  and-thou- 
shalt-feed  upon-the-m  o  s  t- 
sharp-and-wasted-fruits  of- 
nature. 


19.  In-a-tossing  motion 
of-the-mind-thine  shalt-thou- 
eat-f  o  o  d  till-the-restoring 
thine  ( rising  again )  toward- 
the-a  d  a  m  i  c  ( homogeneal 
land)  ;  for-such-as  from 
'some-of-it  wast-thou-taken, 
such-spiritual-element  art- 
thou  and-toward-the-spirit- 
ual-element  wilt-thou-rise- 
again. 


18.  E  t-1  e  s-productions- 
tranchantes,    et-les-product- 
ions-i  n  c  u  1 1  e  s-et-desordon- 
n6es       germeront-abondam- 
ment    pour-toi ;    et-tu-t'ali- 
menteras  des-fruits-acres-et- 
dessech^s     de-la-nature-e!6- 
mentaire. 

19.  En-agitation-contin- 
uelle  de-1'esprit-tien,  tu-t'ali- 
menteras  de-nourriture  jus- 
qu'au-restituer    (au   r6int6- 
grer,  au  ressusciter)-tien  a- 
la-terre-adamique   (homoge- 
ne  et  similaire  &  toi)car-tel- 
de-quoi-d'elle    tu-as-6t6-tire, 
tel-esprit-616mentaire  tu-es ; 
et-a-l'616ment-spiritueux  tu- 
dois-^tre-restitu6. 


restitution  to  a  place,  to  a  primordial  state,  a  resurrection,  In  the  sense 
that  we  give  today  to  this  word;  they  would  have  seen  that  this 
place  was,  not  the  earth,  properly  speaking,  y"!N;  but  the  similitude 
of  man,  his  original,  homogeneous  country,  ntt'K,  and  they  would  have 
seen  finally,  that  this  was  neither  the  dust  of  the  one,  nor  the  mire 
of  the  other,  to  which  he  must  return;  but  the  spiritual  element, 
principle  of  his  being. 

v.  20.     mn,  Hewah Here  is  a  name  where  the  changing  of 

the  vowel  into  consonant  has  caused  a  strange  metamorphosis.  This 
name  which,  according  to  the  allusion  that  Moses  makes,  ought  to 
signify,  and  signify  effectively,  elementary  existence,  being  derived 
from  the  absolute  verb  Din  to  be-being,  by  the  sole  reinforcement  of 
the  initial  vowel  D  into  n  ,  has  come  to  designate  no  more  than  a 
formless  heap  of  matter,  its  aggregation,  its  mass;  and  by  the  harden- 
ing of  the  convertible  sign  1  sanctioned  by  the  Chaldaic  punctuation, 
serves  as  verb  only  to  indicate  the  inert  and  passive  existence  of 
things.  The  change  brought  about  in  the  derivative  verb  mn,  has 
been  even  more  terrible  in  the  absolute  verb,  n*n ;  for  this  verb,  des- 
tined to  represent  the  Immutable  Being,  expresses  only  an  endless  cal- 


118        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


20.     Wa-lkera   ha-Adam     mil 
shem  Aisheth-6  hawah  chi- 
hiwa  haith  am-chol-hai. 


DINi! 


21.  Wa-lahash  IHOAH 
^Elohim  F  Adam  wTaisheth- 
6-chi-then6th  hor  wa-laleb- 
bish'em. 


DTK1 


JTiiT 


22.  Wa-iaomer  IHOAH 
yElohim  hen  ha-Adam  haiah 
chi-ahad  rni-mennou,  la-da- 
hath  t6b  wa-rawh,  w'hatthah 
phen-ishelah  lad-6  w'lakah 
gam  me-hetz  ha-halim,  w'- 
adhal,  w'a-hai  Fholam. 


D»if?     HllT 


n|n 

-j-|» 

7DN) 


amity,  as  I  have  explained  in  speaking  of  the  Sacred  Name  mn* ,  in 
v.  4.  ch.  II.  As  to  the  reasons  for  the  alterations  undergone  by  this 
proper  noun  I  can  only  refer  the  reader  to  the  name  of  the  volitive 
faculty,  JTCX  which,  as  we  have  seen,  had  preceded  that  of  elementary 
existence  nin.  See  v.  22,  ch.  II  and  v.  12  of  this  chapter. 

v.  21.       rrtiro,  body-like It  is  because  they  have  not  wished 

to  recognize  the  assimilative  article  2  that  the  Hellenists  have  inter- 
preted garments,  •x.iruv^t-  instead  of  body.  The  root  p,  from  which 
the  plural  substantive  here  referred  to  is  derived,  develops  every  idea 
of  added  substance,  or  of  corporeity  increasing  more  and  more. 

"i*3>  ,  sheltering-shapes . . . .  It  is  from  this  badly  understood  root 
that  the  verb  "W  to  watch  over  the  defence,  to  guard,  is  derived,  and 
the  substantive  V>\  a  city ;  that  is  to  say,  a  fortified  enclosure.  Thence 
urbs,  in  Latin;  ward,  in  Saxon;  gare,  garde,  and  even  boule-vard,  in 
French:  all  these  words  express  the  same  idea  of  a  place  destined 
to  guard  and  to  defend.  I  beg  the  reader  to  consider  that  this  new 
envelope  Tip,  in  which  dominates  the  sign  of  material  sense  3?,  is  sub- 
stituted for  the  ancient  p,  which  has  been  ridiculously  taken  for  a 
garden. 

v.  22.    1HX3,  such-as-one I  only  mention  this  word  to  show 

the  use  of  the  assimilative  article  3,  an  important  article  often  mis- 
understood by  the  translators. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


119 


20.  A  n  d-h  e-designated, 
Adam,   for-name  to-the  in- 
tellectual-niate-of-him     (his 
volitive    faculty)    H  e  w  a  h 

(elementary  existence)  be- 
cause it-was  the-mother  of- 
all-existence. 

21.  And-he-made,  IHOAH 
the-Being-of    beings,     unto- 
Adam  (collective  man)  and- 
unto-the-intellectual-mate- 
of-him,  body-like  sheltering- 
shapes;  and-he-involved  (in- 
crusted  )  -them-carefully. 

22.  And-he-said,   IHOAH, 
HE-t he-Gods,  Behold   ! 
A  dam    being    such-a  s-o  n  e 
from-those-of-us,     by-know- 
ing good  and -evil :  and-now 
lest-he-should  put-forth  the- 
hand-his-own  and-take  also 
from-the-elementary-growth 
of-lives  and-feed-upon,  and- 
1  i  v  e    for-an-infinite-period 
(forever) : 


20.  Et-il-assigna,  Adam, 
nom-£   1'epouse-intellectuel- 
le-sienne    (sa    facult6   voli- 
tive)  Hcwah   ( existence  e!6- 
mentaire )    a-c  a  u  s  e-qu'elle- 
etait   la-mere  de-toute-exis- 
tence. 

21.  Et-il-fit,    IHOAH,    1'- 
fitre-des  etres   &-Adam    (I'- 
ll o  m  m  e-universel )     et-a-P 
epouse-intellectuelle-sienne, 
tels-que-des-corps  de-defense 
(des  remparts)   et-il-les-en- 
veloppa-avec-soin. 

22.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  LUI- 
les-Dieux,   Voici!   Adam 
6tant    tel-qu'un    de-1'espece- 
a-nous,  selon  la-connaisance 
du-bien    et-du-nial :    et-a-ce- 
temps,   de-peur-qu'il-etendra 
la-main-s  i  e  n  n  e  et-prendra 
a  u  s  s  i    de-la-substance-e!6- 
mentaire    des-vies,    et-qu'il- 
s'alimentera  et-vivra  selon- 
la-periode-infinie      (l'6tern- 
ite): 


C%*nn  yy?3.  from-the-elementary-growth-of-liveg  ----  I  think  I  have 
made  the  signification  of  the  word  y"  sufficiently  clear,  so  that  I  can 
dispense  with  any  further  detail  to  prove  that  it  signifies  neither 
wood,  nor  even  tree;  as  the  translators,  either  through  ignorance  or 
intent  of  purpose,  had  said:  but  what  I  believe  should  be  added,  is, 
that  the  text  here  reads  C*V.n  of  lives,  and  not  n*nn  ,  of  life,  as  they 
have  translated  it  in  their  versions.  This  difference  is  very  essential. 


The  Samaritan  says  /jfl  •  2(ffl?  '•  the  growth,  or  the  natural 
substance  of  lives,  exactly  as  the  Hebrew.  I  trust  that  the  etymologist  will 
find  pleasure  in  seeing  that  the  word  jn,  by  which  the  Hebrew  text  ex- 


120        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 
23.      Wa-i  s  h  a  1  1  e  h-hoii     f  "IJT  JJD  D»rf?$  ni.T 


asher  lukkah  mi-sham. 


24.     Wa-igaresh    seth-ha- 


r  u  b  b  1  m,  w'seth-lahat  ha- 
hereb  ha-mithehapphecheth 
li-shemor  aeth-derech  hetz 
ha-halim. 


presses  evil,  in  this  phrase,    jni  Dltf  nFI?,  by-knowing  good  and-evil, 

is  rendered  in  the  Samaritan  text  by  the  word  M*'/J^3  •  Now  this  word, 
pronounced  bish  or  vish  is  very  certainly  the  one  whence  is  derived 
the  Latin  vitium,  from  which  we  have  made  vice.  This  derivation 
merits  observation  for  many  reasons.  The  Teutonic  and  Saxon  have 
preserved  this  word  with  slight  alteration,  the  one,  in  bos,  and  the 
other,  in  bad.  The  Chaldaic  and  Syriac  agree  in  the  sense  of  the 

wordET2  and  -n-r  :   the  Arabic  alone  differs. 

v.    23.      npl1? ,    he-had-been-taken    from It    is    the   verb   Pip1? 

to  take,  to  draw,  to  extract,  used  here  after  the  intensive  form, 
passive  movement,  third  person  singular.  I  make  this  remark  only 
to  show  that  the  median  character  p,  should  be  doubled  if  the  interior 
point  does  not  take  the  place  of  the  second.  This  verb  which  is 
written  without  the  Chaldaic  kibbuz,  has  need  of  the  character  1 
to  indicate  the  passive  movement. 

v.  24.  cnpE,  from-the-foregone-principle-of-times See  v.  8.  ch. 

II. 

D*2-On,  that-self-same-Cherubim The  root  21,  which  contains 

the  idea  of  all  multiplication,  of  all  infinite  number,  has  already  been 
explained.  It  is  used  in  the  plural  and  governed  by  the  assimilative 
sign  2. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


121 


23.  Then-he-parted-him, 
IHOAH,  the  Being-of  beings, 
fro  m-t  h  e-enclosing-sphere 
of-sensible-times ;  for-work- 
ing    that-same-adamic    (ho- 
mogeneal    ground ) ,    which 
he-had-been-taken-from. 

24.  And-he-p  u  t-f  o  r  t  h 
that-same  Adam  (collective 
man )     and-he-c  a  u  s  e  d-t  o- 
abide  from-the-f  o  r  e  g  o  n  e- 
principle-of-times  near-the- 
organic-sphere  of-temporal- 
sensibleness    that-selfsame- 
Cherubim   (innumerable  le- 
gions    like)     and-that-self- 
s  a  m  e- flaming    of-wild-des- 
truction,  whirling-round-on- 
itself    to-keep    the-way    of- 
t  h  e-elementary-growth     of- 
lives. 


23.  Alors-il-detacha-lui- 
IHOAH,  1'Etre-des-etres,  de- 
la-sphere-organique    d  e-1  a- 
sensibilite-temporelle;  afin- 
de-travailler     cette-m  £  m  e- 
substance-adamique,     de-la- 
quelle  il-avait-6te-pris-hors. 

24.  Et-il-eloigna   ce-me- 
me-Adam   (1'homme  univer- 
sel),  et-il-fit-resider  de-l'an- 
t6riorit6-  universelle  -  des 
temps,     a-la-sphere-tempor- 
elle-et-sensible,     ce-m  6  m  e,- 
Cherubim     (un    etre    sem- 
blable  aux  innombrables  16- 
gions)    et-cette-m^me-flam- 
me-incandescente  de-rar- 
deur-de>astatrice      tourbil- 
lonnant-sans-cesse-sur  -  elle- 
meme,  pour  garder  la-route 
de-  la-substance-£lementaire 
des-vies. 


of -wild-destruction ....  The  Hellenists  who  sought  to 
restrict  everything  and  to  materialize  everything,  have  rendered  this 
word  by  that  cf  £ou<£a«a,  a  sort  of  waving  sword.  It  can  be  remarked 
that  the  most  petty  images  are  always  the  ones  that  they  have  chosen. 
They  took  pains  not  (o  see  here  the  root  "in,  expressing  every  wild 
destruction,  every  igneous,  wrathful  force,  modified  by  the  active  and 
central  sign  D  :  a  single  word  badly  veiled  would  have  sufficed  to 
betray  the  spiritual  sense  that  they  wished  to  hide. 

nncnn^n,    iohirling-round-on-itsel1 This    is    the    verb   ^Cn, 

to  turn,  used  according  to  the  reflexive  form,  as  feminine,  continued 
facultative.  This  facultative  is  preceded  by  the  emphatic  article  ."I, 
in  order  to  take  for  it,  the  place  of  the  modiflcative,  and  to  increase 
its  force. 


122        THE   HEBKAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 

SEPHER  BEILESHITH  »*J. 

D. 


1.      W'ha-Adam   lad  ah 
aeth-Hewah  Aisheth-6,   wa- 
thahar,  wa-theled  seth-Kain,     "WJ  Pp."  TO 
wa-thaomer    kanithl    a  1  s  h  «         ' 


v.  1.     'ppVlX,  the-self -sameness  of-Kain Need  I  speak  of  the 

importance  that  the  peoples  of  the  Orient  have  attached  to  proper 
names,  and  of  what  deep  mysteries  their  sages  have  often  hidden 
beneath  these  names?  Had  I  space  here  to  express  myself  in  this 
subject,  my  only  perplexity  would  be  making  a  choice  among  the 
numberless  proofs.  But  the  time  is  short  and  these  notes  are  already 
too  voluminous.  The  intellectual  reader  has  no  need  of  a  vain  display 
of  useless  erudition,  to  be  taught  what  he  already  knows.  Let  it 
suffice  therefore,  for  me  to  say  that  Moses  is  the  one,  of  the  writers 
of  antiquity,  -who  has  developed  most  subtly  the  art  of  composing 
proper  names.  I  have  endeavoured  to  give  an  idea  of  his  talent,  or 
that  of  his  instructors  in  this  respect,  by  developing  the  name  of 
universal  man  BIN,  collective  unity,  eternal  similitude,  and  that  of 
the  Supreme  Divinity  raT,  the  Being  who  is,  who  was,  and  who  will 
be.  But  I  must  make  it  clear  that  these  two  names,  and  some  others, 
were  sufficiently  elevated  by  their  nature  to  be  translatable  without 
danger.  The  names  which  follow  will  be,  almost  all,  a  very  different 
matter.  Moses  has  been  often  obliged  to  throw  over  them  a  veil, 
that  I  ought  and  wish  to  respect.  Although  I  might  perhaps  give  the 
literal  word,  I  shall  not  do  so.  I  inform  my  reader  of  this  in  order 
that  he  may  be  watchful:  for  if  he  desire  it,  nothing  shall  prevent 
him  from  knowing. 

The  root  of  the  name  Kain,  is  p ,  which  is  composed  of  the  em- 
inently compressive  and  trenchant  sign  p,  and  that  of  produced 
being  ^.  It  develops  the  idea  of  strongest  compression  and  of  most 
centralized  existence.  In  the  proper  name  under  consideration,  it  is 
presented  animated  by  the  sign  of  manifested  power:  thus  "pp,  can 
signify  the  strong,  the  powerful,  the  rigid,  the  vehement,  and  also 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  123 

GENESIS  IV.  COSMOGONIE  IV. 


1.     And-he-Adaw    (col-  1.     Et-lui-Adam    (1'hom- 

lective  man )  knew-that-self-  me  universel )   connut-cette- 

same-Hetca      (elementary  meme-Hewa  ( Texistence-ele- 

life)     intellectual-mate-of-  mentaire)  1'epouse-intellect- 

him     (his-volitive- faculty)  uelle-sienne  (sa  faculte  voli- 

and-she-conceived,    and-she-  tive)   et-elle  congut,  et-elle- 

bare     the-self sameness     of-  enfanta    Pexistence-de-TTam 

Kain  (the  strong,  themigh-  (le  forte,  le  puissant;  celui 

ty  one;  he  who  lies  in  the  qui  tire  au  centre,  qui  saisit, 

centre,  who  assumes  and  as-  qui  agglomere,  qui  assimile 

similates   to  himself)    and-  ti   soi) ;   et-elle-dit,  j'ai-cen- 

she-s aid,     I-d  i  d-c e n t r e  tralisS  ( form£  par  centrali- 

( framed  by  centering)    an-  sation)     un-etre-intellectuel 

intellectual-being  selfsame-  de-l'essence-meme-a-lHOAH. 
ness  of-lHOAH. 


the  central,  that  which  serves  as  basis,  rule,  measure;  that  which 
agglomerates,  appropriates,  seizes,  comprehends,  assimilates  with  itself. 
It  is  in  this  last  sense  that  Moses  appears  to  have  represented  it  in 
the  verb  which  follows. 

"rvip ,  I-did-centre This  is  the  verb  n*0p ,  used  according  to 

the  positive  form,  active  movement,  first  person,  past  tense.  The 
Hellenist  translators  who  have  made  it  signify  to  get,  have  chosen, 
as  is  their  habit,  the  most  restricted  sense.  The  Arabic  words  ^  and 
J^  which  have  the  same  root,  signify  to  forge,  to  agglomerate,  to 
equalize,  to  form. 

The  Samaritan  translator  has  rendered  this  same  verb  H'ijp  ,  by 
which  Moses  explains  the  name  of  Kain,  by  ^2^  to  rule,  to  display 
the  power  of  a  king;  BO  as  to  have  good  cause  for  saying  that,  in  a 
multitude  of  tongues,  the  idea  of  power  and  of  royalty  has  come  from 
the  root  Kan,  Kin,  or  Kain.  See  Rad.  Vocab. 

H'n—PK  ,  selfsameness-of  IHOAH The  savants  who  know  the 

lively  quarrels  that  this  expression  has  caused,  particularly  since 
Luther  asserted  that  it  should  be  translated:  7  have  acquired  a  man 
who  is  the  Lord,  will  perhaps  be  interested  in  seeing  what  the  prin- 


124        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 

2.    Wa-thosseph  la-ledeth  ^nVlX  Vrnrntf  JTf?1?  f|pfl1 
(Eth-ahi-6  aeth-Habel,  wa-lhl 

hebel  roheh  tzoam,  w'Kain  ™?  Tp-l  ]™  HJH  ^  'IT] 
haiah  hobed  adamah.  •  nO""IX 


cipal  translators  have  thought.     I  am  about  to  satisfy  them  by  quoting 
successively  the  Samaritan,  Chaldaic,  Hellenist  and  Latin  phrase. 

a""er<> 


:  "^  C"1p  125  Tl*3p     I     have-acquired-in-central-force     a- 
hero  in-principle  f  rom-the  Eternal. 
&»6p<!>irov  5*d  rov  Qtot.         I    have-gotten  a-man  through  GOD. 

Possedi  hominem  per  Dominum.      I    have-gotten   a-man    through   the- 

Lord. 

The  Hebrew  is  understood.  The  hieroglyphic  mystery  consists  of 
the  way  in  which  Moses  has  employed  the  designative  proposition  riX. 
which  indicates  the  selfsameness  or  the  objectivity  of  things,  as  con- 
structive substantive,  with  the  Sacred  Name  of  the  Divinity  .Tirr  « 


v.  2.  DrrnX,  the-selfsameness-of-Habel  ----  Moses,  for  reasons 
which  were  doubtless  particular  ones,  has  given  no  ostensible  expla- 
nation of  this  name.  We  can,  to  a  degree,  make  up  for  this  silence 
by  an  examination  of  the  root  from  which  it  is  derived.  This  root  is 
?3y  which,  composed  of  the  sign  of  interior  action  2,  joined  to  that  of 
expansive  movement  b,  expresses  all  ideas  of  expansion,  dilation  and 
tenuity.  Therefore,  if  we  have  understood  that  the  compressive  force 
could  be  characterized  by  the  root  ip,  we  shall  understand  now  that 
the  expansive  force  can  be  characterized  by  the  root  *?D;  consequently, 
every  time  one  has  seen  strength,  power,  density,  possession,  in  the 
name  of  Kain,  one  has  also  seen  weakness,  rarity,  surrender,  in  that 
of  Habel. 

But  it  must  not  be  believed  that  this  force  and  this  power,  which 
the  name  of  Kain  characterizes,  have  always  been  taken  in  the  good 
sense.  Very  far  from  it:  for  the  majority  of  the  peoples  have  attached 
to  It  only  a  blind  fatality,  and  Kain  has  been  for  them  only  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  125 

2.     And-she-added  by-the  2.     Et-elle-ajouta    par-P 

bringing-forth  the-brotherly-  action-d'enfanter     I'ipseit6- 

self-of-h  i  m,    t  he  -selfsame-  fraternelle-a-lui,  1'existence- 

ness-of-//  a  1)  el,  and-he-was,  -d'Habel ;  et-il-f ut  Habel,  con- 

Habel,   a-leader    (overseer)  ducteur    ( surveillant )    de-1' 

of-the-indefinite-being    (ele-  £tre-indef ini,  ( le  monde  cor- 

mentary    corporeal    world)  porel)  et-Kain-fut  serviteur, 

and  Kain,  was-a-servant  (a  (ellaborateur)  de-1'element- 

tiller)     of-the-adamic     (ho-  adamique. 
mogeneal  ground). 


genius  of  Evil.  In  this  case,  the  contrary  attributes  contained  in  the 
name  of  Habel,  are  adorned  with  more  favourable  shades:  the  weak- 
ness has  become  gentleness  and  grace;  the  rarity,  spiritual  essence; 
surrender,  magnanimity:  Habel,  in  short,  has  been  the  genius  of  Good. 
These  singular  contrasts  exist  in  the  tongues  of  the  Hebrews  and  of 
the  Chaldeans;  for  if  the  word  bD  signifies  the  mind,  and  the  soul 
which  is  its  source;  this  same  word  also  offers  the  negative  relation, 
no:  and  if  one  finds  VlD",  to  express  ideas  of  abundance,  profusion 
and  even  of  inundation,  one  finds  also  the  word  ''bD,  to  express  those 
of  lack,  want,  absolute  nothingness.  The  emphatic  sign  n ,  added  to 
this  singular  root,  can  be  likewise,  in  the  name  of  Habel,  the  emblem 
of  that  which  is  noblest  in  man:  thought  and  meditation;  or  of  that 
which  is  vainglorious,  the  illusions  of  pride,  and  vanity  itself. 

•  It  is  the  same  with  the  qualities  expressed  in  the  name  of  Kain, 
which  become  good  or  bad,  according  to  the  manner  in  •which  they 
are  considered. 

"JX1J,  the-indeflnite-Being . . . .  The  root  of  this  word,  as  the  one 
of  which  I  have  just  spoken,  has  the  singular  property  of  the  same 
contradictory  ideas.  Also,  it  is  not  without  reason  that  Moses,  who 
did  not  wish  to  explain  the  name  of  Habel,  has  employed  the  word  ]XS» 
as  synonym  in  hieroglyphic  style.  I  believe  it  to  be  useless  to  explain 
here,  how  it  is  that  'j'iX,  whose  proper  meaning  is  indefinite-being, 
world,  time,  as  can  be  recognized  in  the  Greek  •word  ald>v  which  is 
derived  from  it,  has  characterized  at  the  same  time,  in  Hebrew,  being 
and  nothingness,  weakness  and  virtue,  riches  and  poverty;  because 
this  is  again  a  consequence  of  the  degradation  of  its  vocal  sound  of 


126        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 

3.     Wa-iehi  mi-ketz  iam-     n^p  |»p  ND-n  D'D' 
im  wa-iabae  Kain  mi-pheri  T 

ha-adamah     minehh     la- 

IH6AH. 


4.     W'Habel  hebia  gam-    nil'D^p  NIH'DJ  NOPT 
houa    mi-bedhor6th    tzodn-     .u,     n1 
6,    w'me-heleb-be-hen,     wa-        •••     T 
ishah,   IHOAH,  sel-Habel  w' 
sel-minehath-6. 


which  I  have  spoken  sufficiently.  All  that  I  believe  necessary  to  add 
is,  that  the  Hellenists  have  rendered  the  word  "^li  by  vptparov,  a  flock 
of  sheep,  because  they  have  taken  it,  following  their  habit,  in  the 
most  restricted  sense.  For  the  sign  of  final  movement  S,  being  united 
with  the  root  "jX  or  "pj^,  produced  being,  has  made  it  in  general  'JNX, 
indefinite  being;  in  particular,  a  body.  Now  it  is  very  easy  to  perceive 
that  this  word  "jXX  signifying  a  body,  needs  only  a  simple  abstraction 
of  thought,  to  make  it  signify  a  troop  or  a  flock.  The  Hebrews  have 
said  a  corps  of  sheep,  and  simply  a  corps,  to  express  a  flock;  as  we 
say  a  corps  of  soldiers,  and  simply  a  corps,  to  signify  a  troop. 

The  Samaritan  renders  the  word  "jXS  by  that  of  Qftff ,  which 
contains  the  several  significations  of  tabernacle,  temporal  dwelling, 
time,  corporeal  aggregation,  corps,  etc.  It  is  the  analogue  of  the 
Hebraic  root  "ir,  as  can  be  seen  in  the  Radical  Vocabulary. 

v.    3.   C"tt>1  ypE,   from-the-end-of-the-seas The   translators   of 

Moses,  either  accustomed  to  see  in  Adam,  a  material  and  limited  man, 
or  conforming  in  this  to  the  vulgar  ideas  of  their  time,  have  been 
forced  either  to  see  men  of  blood,  flesh  and  bones,  in  Kain  and  Habel, 
or  feign  to  see  them,  making  it  impossible  to  render  the  clear  and 
simple  signification  of  this  verse.  For  how  could  it  be  said  that  a 
man,  such  as  they  conceived  him  in  Kain,  made  an  offering  to  IHOAH 
from  the  end  of  the  seas?  They  have  easily  substituted  the  expression 
of  days  for  that  of  seas,  because  the  Hebraic  word  does  not  differ; 
but  what  could  they  do  with  yps  which  can  absolutely  signify  only 
from  the  end,  the  extremity,  the  summit f  Some,  as  the  Samaritan 
and  the  Chaldaic  translators,  were  content  to  be  unintelligible;  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  127 

3.  Now-it-was  from-the-        3.     Or-ce-fut     de-la-cime 

end    of-the-seas,    t  h  a  t-h  e-  d  e  s-m  e  r  s,  qu'il-fit-a  Her, 

caused-to-go,     Kain,    from-  Kain,    du-produit    de-1'616- 

tho-product     of-the-adamic  ment-adaniique,      (homoge- 

( 'elementary    ground)    'an-  ne)  un-oblation  a  IHOAH. 

offering  unto-lHOAH. 

4.  Aud-Habel  caused-to-        4.      Et-Habel    fit-all  er, 
go,    also-he,    from-the-first-  aussi-lui,    des-pr£mices    du- 
lings  of-the-w  o  r  1  d  of  him,  monde-a-lui ;    et-de-la-quin- 
a  n  d  -  from-the-quintessence  tessence  (de  la  qualite  emi- 
(the    best,    over-t  o  p  p  i  n  g  nente)-a-eux :    et-il-se-mon- 
qualities)-of-them:    and-he-  tra-sauveur,  IHOAH,  envers- 
proved-a-saviour,    J  H  o  A  H,  Hdbel,  et-envers-Foffrande 
imto-/7V/ bel,  and-u  n  t  o-the-  sienne, 
offering-of-him. 


Hellenists  have  changed  the  text,  in  which  they  have  been  followed 
by  Saint  Jerome.  They  have  said:  ical  fyevro  ptff  -quipa*,  "factum  est 
autem  post  multos  dies."  It  came  to  pass  after  many  days. —  Now 
according  to  the  thought  of  the  hierographic  writer,  Kain,  being  a 
cosmological  being,  very  different  from  a  man  properly  so-called,  can, 
without  the  least  incongruity,  cause  to  ascend  to  IHOAH,  an  offering 
from  the  end  of  the  seas,  or  from  the  superficies  of  phenomenal 
manifestations,  if  one  would  fathom  the  hieroglyphic  meaning  of  the 
word  B*»\ 

v.     4.       "0X51   ni*132tt,      from-the-flrstlings     of-the-world-of-him 

The  word  122  comes  from  the  two  roots  13~X2  of  which  the  first  X2 
develops  every  idea  of  progression,  of  gradual  progress,  of  generative 
development;  the  second  "ID,  designates  all  apparent,  eminent  things 
which  serve  as  monument,  as  distinctive  mark;  so  that,  by  122,  should 
be  understood,  that  which,  in  a  series  of  beings,  takes  precedence, 
dominates,  characterizes,  announces,  presages,  etc.  This  word  has 
important  relations  with  122,  of  which  I  have  spoken  in  v.  5,  ch.  I. 
The  Arabic  _£>  signifies  literally,  to  be  early;  figuratively,  to  prosper, 
to  surpass,  to  take  precedence  utith  brilliance,  with  glory.  Thence 
iyTX  or  •-^».  •  °  virgin. 


128        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 
5.    Wael  Kain  w'ael-mine-     niflP  tf?  IfiTOp  *?$}  J'p  •  ^1 

PKatn 
phanal-6. 


6.    Wa-iaomer  In6AH  ael-  rnn  HO1?  ftr1      ITirV 
Kain,  lammah  harah  le-cha,  : 

w'lammah  naphelou  phanei-  •*  *f$  ^9J  n97! 

dha. 


,  and-from-the-quintessence-of-th&m The  Hellenists  hav- 
ing interpreted  a  flock,  for  a  world,  have  been  obliged  necessarily,  in 
order  to  be  consistent,  to  interpret  first-born  instead  of  firstlings,  and 
the  eminent  qualities  of  these  same  firstlings,  as  fat.  Such  was  the 
force  of  a  first  violation  of  the  text.  All  of  these  base  and  ridiculous 
ideas  spring  one  from  another.  Either  they  have  purposely  remained 
silent  or  else  they  were  ignorant  of  the  first  elements  of  the  Hebraic 
tongue,  not  to  feel  that  the  word  D^n  signifies  fat,  only  by  an  evident 
abuse  made  by  the  vulgar,  and  that  the  two  roots  Vn  and  Db ,  of  which 
it  is  composed,  being  applied,  the  one,  to  every  superior  effort,  and 
the  other,  to  every  quality,  to  every  faculty,  resulting  from  this  effort, 
the  word  3^n ,  ought  to  characterize  every  extraction  of  essential 
things:  which  is  proved  by  the  meaning  attached  to  it  by  the  Chaldeans 
and  the  Hebrews  themselves;  taking  the  substantive,  for  milk  or 
cream;  and  the  verb,  for  the  action  of  milking,  extracting,  making 
emanate.  Thence  innumerable  relative  expressions.  j«s.\^  is  taken  in 
Syriac  for  cream,  foam,  sperm,  etc.;  the  Ethiopian  word  j?LAY}  (he- 
lei)),  offers  as  does  the  Arabic  ~b-  the  ideas  of  emulsion;  derivation, 
emanation,  distillation,  etc 

y<Z}^,  and-he-proved-a-saviour  ....  The  verb  ~UT  has  been  taken 
by  all  translators  in  the  sense  of  having  regard,  of  respecting;  but  it 
should  here  be  in  the  sense  of  redeeming,  of  saving,  of  leading  to 
salvation.  It  is  from  the  root  IT ,  containing  in  itself  all  ideas  of 
preservation,  salvation  and  redemption,  which  come,  on  the  one  hand, 
from  the  compound  radical  verb  22T  and  on  the  other,  from  the  com- 
pound ,Tu?U,  whose  signification  is  the  same.  When  this  latter  verb 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  129 

5.  And-unto-/Taw,    and-  5.      Et-envers-^aw,    et- 
unto-the-crffering-h  i  s-o  w  n,  envers-Po  b  1  a  t  i  o  n-sienne, 
n  o  t-to-prove-a-s  a  v  i  o  u  r :  non-pas-se-montrer-sauveur : 
which-raised-up-the-w  rath  c  e-qui-causa-1'embrasement 
of -Kain     quite-thoroughly ;  &-Kain    tout-a-fait;    et-fur- 
a  n  d-w  e  r  e-cast-down    the-  ent-abattues    les-faces-sien- 
faces-of-him.  nes. 

6.  And-he-said,    IHOAH,  6.  Et-il-dit,    IHOAH,    a- 
unto-JTaw;.why  the- raising-  Kain;   pourquoi   le-souleve- 
up-t  h  e-fiery-wrath-to-thee?  ment-e  m  b  r  a  s  e-a-toi?    et- 
and-w  h  y    the-casting-down  pourquoi    la-chute    (la    d&- 
of-the- faces  thine?  pression)de-la-face-tienne? 


expresses  the  action  of  having  regard  or  respect,  it  is  composed  of  the 
root  iy,  which  is  related  to  exterior  and  sentient  forms  of  objects, 
governed  by  the  sign  of  relative  movement  tf. 

v.  5  and  6.  There  is  nothing  difficult  in  these  terms:  the  meaning 
itself  need  not  perplex,  only  so  far  as  the  nature  of  Kain  and  Habel 
is  not  clearly  understood.  I  would  call  attention  to  the  fact,  that 
from  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  Moses,  employs  only  the  sole 
Sacred  Name  of  IHOAH,  to  designate  the  Divinity.  It  seems  that  he 
may  have  omitted  the  plural  surname  C^D^N  JZlohim,  HE-the-Gods, 
to  make  it  understood  that  GOD  no  longer  acts  toward  the  two  broth- 
ers, only  in  his  primitive  unity. 

v.  7.  X".bn,  the-not-being The  «bold  and  numerous  ellipses  with 

which  this  verse  abounds,  render  it  very  difficult  to  be  understood. 
It  is  generally  the  manner  of  Moses,  to  be  lavish  with  ellipses  when 
making  the  Divinity  speak.  At  first,  it  is  here  the  negative  relation 
K*7,  not,  which,  animated  by  means  of  the  sign  1,  and  inflected  sub- 
stantively  by  means  of  the  determinative  article  n,  makes  the  entire 
phrase  a  single  word  issuing  simultaneously  from  the  mouth  of  GOD. 
It  seems,  by  an  effect  of  this  boldness,  that  the  divine  thought  is 
substantialized,  as  it  were,  so  as  to  be  grasped  by  man. 

PiKE,  that-the-sign What  then  could  be  more  rapid  than  this 

figure?  The  pronominal  article  B,  united  without  intermediary  to 


130        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 

7.  Ha-16a-aim-theitib  sh'- 
a?th  w'aim  loa-theitib-la- 
phethah  ha-tath  robetz,  w' 
iPlei-cha  theshoukath-6  w* 
athah  thimeshal-b'6. 


8.    Wa-iaomer   Kain    ael-     W)  -j»nK  ^T*?^  pD 
Habel   ahi-6,   wa-ihi  bi-hei-      ,  :"    ^  T 
oth'am  be-shadeh,  wa-iakam      ^  Pj 
Kain    aRl-Habel    ahi-6,    wa- 
iahareg-hou. 


the  designative  preposition  DX ,  does  it  not  depict  with  an  inimitable 
energy,  the  rapidity  with  which  the  good  that  man  does,  leaves  its 
imprint  in  his  soul?  This  is  the  seal  of  Moses.  The  translation  of 
the  Hellenists  here  is  wholly  amphibological.  These  are  words  which 
are  related  one  with  another  without  forming  any  meaning. 

v.  8.  HTiTQ  *m,  and  -it-  was  by  -  the-being-both  in-the-begetting- 

nature All  the  translators  have  believed  that  there  existed  before 

Ihis  word,  a  lacuna  which  they  felt  obliged  to  fill,  by  inserting  as  in 
the  Samaritan  text,  copied  by  the  Hellenists  and  by  Saint  Jerome: 
^IT**^  '  ^W2ik  Si^\0unev  e«  rd  irediKuv :  "egrediamur  foras."  Let 
us  go  into  the  field,  or  outside. 

But  they  have  not  noticed  that  the  verb  llttX  which  signifies  not 
simply  to  say,  but  to  declare  one's  thought,  to  express  one's  will,  has 
no  need,  in  Hebrew,  of  this  indifferent  course.  Kain  and  Habel,  I 
repeat,  are  not  men  of  blood,  of  flesh  and  bones;  they  are  cosmogonical 
beings.  Moses  makes  it  felt  here  in  an  expressive  manner,  by  saying, 
that  at  this  epoch  they  existed  together  in  nature.  They  existed  thus 
no  longer  from  the  moment  that  the  one  rising  in  rebellion  against  the 
other,  had  conquered  its  forces. 

VttVPI,  and-he-slew-him . . . .  This  verb  comes  from  the  two 
contracted  roots  jmn.  The  first,  which  is  an  intensifying  of  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


131 


7.  T he-no t-being,  if-thou- 
s  h  a  It-d  o-w  ell,  t  h  a  t-the- 
sign  (the  token  in  thee)  ? 
and-if  not-thou-wilt-do-well, 
a  t-t  h  e-d  o  o  r  the-sin-lying; 
and-unto-t  h  e  e  the-mutual- 
pronenes s-its  own,  and- 
t  h  o  u !  the-symbolical-sym- 
pathetic-acting  unto  it? 


7.  Le-non-pas-etre,  si-tu- 
feras-bien,  que-le-sign  (T- 
image  du  bien  en  toi)?  et- 
si  non-pas-etre,  tu-f  e  r  a  s- 
bien,  a-1'entree  le-peche  re- 
posant,  et-envers-toi  le-de- 
sir-mutuel-sien,  et-toi !  la  re- 
presentation-mutuelle  dans- 
lui? 


8.  And-now-he-declared- 
his  thought,  Kain,  unto  Ha- 
bel  the  brother-his-own :  and- 
it-was  by-the-being-both  in- 
the-begetting-nature :  then- 
he-rose-up  (stood  up  sub- 
stantially) against-JETa&eZ 
the-brother-his-own ;  and-he- 
slew-him. 


8.  Et-ensuite,  il-d4clara- 
sa-pens6e,  Kain,  h-Habcl  le- 
frere-sien :  et  c'etait  durant- 
1'action-d'exister  -  ensemble- 
dans-la-nature-productrice : 
or  il-s'insurgea  (s'eleva  en 
substance,  se  mat^rialisa) 
contre-Habel,  le-frere-s  i  e  n, 
et-il-immola-lui. 


primitive  "!X,  designates  in  general,  an  exaltation,  an  height;  it  is 
literally,  a  mountain,  and  figuratively,  that  which  is  strong,  robust, 
powerful;  the  second  root  i"i,  characterizes  a  disorganizing  movement. 
Thus  Kain  displays  against  Habel,  only  the  power  of  which  he  is 
possessor,  that  which  results  from  physical  force. 

This  same  allegory  is  found  in  the  Pouranas  of  the  Hindus,  under 
the  names  of  Maha-dewa,  in  place  of  Kain,  and  of  Daksha  in  place  of 
Habel.  Maha-dewa  is  the  same  as  8iwa,  and  Daksha  is  a  surname  of 
Brahma,  which  can  be  translated  by  Ethereal.  The  Egyptians  gave  to 
Kronos  of  the  Greeks,  whom  we  call  Saturn,  after  the  Latins,  the 
name  of  Chivan  or  Kiwan;  this  same  Kiwan  was,  from  most  ancient 
times,  adored  by  the  Arabs  of  Mecca  under  the  figure  of  a  black  stone. 
The  Jews  themselves  gave  to  Saturn  this  same  name  of  }V3 ;  and  one 
can  read,  in  a  Persian  book  cited  in  the  English  Asiatic  Researches, 


132        THE   HEBKAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 


9.    Wa-iaomer  IHOAH  sel-     *?yj  »N  |>p_"^  HlJT 
Kain,  aei-Hebel  ahi-cha,  wa- 
laomer     loa-iadahethi,     ha- 
shoruer  ahi  anochl. 


10.  Wa-iaomer   meh    has-     »p^  ^-jp  ntyy  np 
hitha    kol    dhem«i    ahl-dha  ' 

tzohaklm   «loi   min-ha-ada- 
inah. 


11.     W'hatthah,    a  r  o  u  r     np-JNn-|D  HHN 
athah   rain-ha-adamah  asher 
phatzethah    *th-phi-ha    la- 
kahath  aeth-dhemei  ahi-cha 
mi-iade-cha. 


12.  Chi  thahabod  aeth- 
ha-adamah,  1  o  a  thosseph 
theth-choh-ha,  la-cha  nawh 
wa-nad  thiheieh  b'aretz. 


that  the  Hindus  had  formerly  many  sacred  places,  dedicated  to  Kywxin, 
who  was  no  other  than  their  Siiva  or  Siwan,  of  which  I  have  spoken 
above. 

v.   9.     Contains  no   difficulty. 

v.  10.  H£"! ,  the-likenesses . . . .  The  Hellenists  seeing,  or  feigning 
to  see  in  Habel,  a  corporeal  man,  could  not  avoid  seeing  a  man  of 
blood  in  the  word  "ft") :  but  this  word,  in  the  constructive  plural,  and 
agreeing  with  the  facultative  C*y5J,  should  have  caused  Saint  Jerome 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


133 


9.  And-he-said,    IHOAH, 
unto-Kain,  where-is  Habcl, 
the-brother-thine?     and-he- 
said  (answering  Kain)  not- 
did-I-know :    the-keeper    of- 
the-brother-mine  am-I? 

10.  And-he-said,  IHOAH, 
what-hast-thou-done?    t  h  e- 
voice    of-the-1  ikenesses 
(identic   future  progenies) 
of-the-brother-thine,    groan- 
ing-rise  t  o  w  a  r  d-m  e  from- 
the-adamic      (elementary 
ground). 

11.  And-this-time,  cursed 
b  e-thou !    from-the-adamic, 
which   did-open   the-mouth- 
its-own  for- receiving  those- 
likenesses    (future    progen- 
ies) of-the-brother-thine,  by- 
the-hand-thine-own. 

1.2.  Then-whilst  thou- 
shalt-work  t  h  a  t-a  d  a  m  i  c 
(elementary  ground)  not- 
will-it-yield  the-strength  its- 
own  unto-thee :  staggering 
a  n  d-r  o  v  i  n  g  ( wandering 
with  fright)  thou-shalt-be 
in-the-earth. 


9.  Et-il-dit   IHOAH,   a 
Kain,  ou-est  Habcl,  le-frere- 
tien?     et-il-dit     (repondant 
Kain}  :    non    pas-savais-je; 
le-gardant     du-frere-m  i  e  n 
suis-je. 

10.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  que- 
fis-tu?  la-voix  des-homogen- 
eit6s  (des  generations  iden- 
tiques)     du-frere-tien    plai- 
gnantes,  s'61eve-vers-moi  de 
r^l^ment-adamique. 


11.  Et-a-ce-temps,   mau- 
d  i  t    sois-tu !    de-rel6merit- 
adamique,  lequel  ouvrit  la- 
bouche-sienne  pour-recevoir 
ces-homogeneit6s     (ces    g6- 
nerations  futures)  du-frere- 
tien,  par-la-main-a-toi. 

12.  Ainsi-quand    tu-tra- 
vailleras       cet-element-ada- 
m  i  q  u  e ;   non-pas-il-joiridra 
don-de-force-virtuelle-sienne 
a-toi:  vacillant   (agite  d'un 
mouvement    incertain)     et- 
vaguant  (agit6  d'un  mouve- 
ment d'effroi)    tu-seras  en- 
la-terre. 


to  think  that  Moses  meant  something  else.     The  Chaldean  paraphrast 
had  perceived  it  in  writing  this  phrase  thus: 

•*gys^  v-)»njn  ri?")7~C~l  The-like-generations  which-future-progenies  were- 
2_  .-.nx  «VN  to-proceed    of-the-brother-thine,    groaning-are    be- 
fore-me.... 

11.  These  terms  are  understood. 

12.  y),  staggering....     A  very   remarkable  root  which,  with 


134        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


13.    Wa-iaomer  Kain  sel-     ifiy  ^^  nin»'^  J!p_ 
IHOAH  gadol  haon-i  mi-nes- 
hoa.  ; 


14.  Hen,  gherashetha  ^9  ^yp  DiYT  TO*  W"U  [fl 
aoth-i  ha-iom  me-hal  phenei 
ha-adamah,  w'lni-phanei- 
cha  aes-sather,  w'hallthl 
nawh  wa-nad  ba-aretz,  w' 
haiah  chol-mot-zea-i  iahe- 
regni. 


the  one  following,  assists  in  penetrating  the  nature  of  Kain:  myster- 
ious nature,  the  understanding  of  which  would  lead  very  far.  This 
root  is  used  here  in  the  continued  facultative,  active  movement  and 
should  be  written  37*3.  The  radical  verb  which  is  formed  from  it, 
3?13 ,  signifies  to  be  moved  about,  to  stagger,  to  wander  aimlessly.  One 
must  remark  here  that  the  sign  of  produced  being  3,  is  arrested  by 
the  sign  y,  which  is  that  of  material  sense. 

.    "iJ,  roving Another  facultative  which  should  be  written   TU . 

The  radical  verb  Tli,  which  is  derived  from  it,  expresses  a  movement 
of  flight,  of  exile;  a  painful  agitation.  The  sign  of  division  "1,  replaces 
in  this  root,  the  sign  of  material  sense,  with  which  the  preceding  one 
is  terminated. 

v.  13.  *}*y,  the-perverseness-mine . . . .  Let  us  consider  a  moment 
this  word,  whose  whole  force  comes  from  the  sign  i\  We  have  seen 
in  v.  2  of  this  chapter,  that  the  root  "pX ,  which  characterizes  in  general, 
the  produced  being,  time,  the  world,  developed  the  most  contrary 
ideas  following  the  inflection  given  to  the  vocal  sound:  expressing 
sometimes  being,  sometimes  nothingness;  sometimes  strength,  some- 
times weakness:  this  same  root,  inclined  toward  the  bad  sense  by  the 
sign  y,  is  now  fixed  there  and  no  longer  signifies  anything  but  what 
is  perverse.  It  is,  as  it  were,  the  opposite  of  being:  it  is  vice,  the 
opposite  of  that  which  is  good. 

And  let  us  notice  its  origin:  it  is  worthy  of  attention.  Tin  is,  as 
we  well  know,  the  verb  par  excellence,  to  be-being.  But  this  verb, 
ceasing  to  be  absolute  in  particularizing  itself  in  speech,  can  be  cor- 
rupted: that  is  to  say,  the  vocal  sounds  which  constitute  it  can  be 
materialized  in  passing  into  consonants.  This  is  what  happens  in  the 
word  ~ "in,  where  the  intellectual  sign  "i .  becoming  extinct,  indicates 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  135 

13.  And-he-said,  Kain,  13.      Et-il-dit,    Kain,    a- 
unto-lHOAH,    great-is    the-  IHOAH,    grande-est    la-per- 
perverseness-mine    b  y-t  h  e-  versite-mienne     par-la-puri- 
cleansing.  fication. 

14.  Lo !  thou-hast-driven-  14.    Voici !  tu-as-chasse"  1' 
out  mine-own-self  this-day,  ipseit6-mienne    ce-jour,    de- 
from-over-the-face    o  f-t  h  e-  dessus-la-face     de-rel£ment- 
adamic:  then-from-the-face-  adamique:     donc-de-la-face- 
thine   shall-I-be-hid,   and-T-  a-toi      je-me-cacherai-avec- 
shall-be-staggering  and-rov-  soin,  et-j'existerai  tremblant 
ing     in-the-earth :     and-he-  et-vaguant-en-la-terre :  et-il- 
shall-be,  every-one  finding-  sera,   tout-trouvant-moi,  le- 
me,  he-who-shall-slay-me.  qui-accablera-moi, 


thenceforth,  only  a  calamity.  Nevertheless,  the  root  of  life  nn,  remains 
there  still,  and  this  word  receives  from  it  enough  force  to  designate 
sometimes  desire,  and  the  substance  which  is  its  object:  but  if  this 
root  is  altered  entirely,  as  in  my  then  nothing  good  subsists:  it  is 
perversity,  the  absolute  depravation  of  being. 

Now,  from  the  verb  DTi ,  to  be-being,  was  formed  the  root  }",N  or 
Tin,  by  the  addition  of  the  final  character  ] ,  image  of  every  increase 
and  sign  of  produced  being:  we  have  seen  its  several  acceptations. 
It  Is  in  the  same  manner  that,  from  the  verb,  mj?  to  be  depraved, 
perverted,  is  formed  the  substantive  ]12  or  py ,  whose  signification 
and  origin  I  have  just  explained. 

v.  14.     " Jil.T ,  he-who-shall-slay-me Here,  by  the  effect  of  an 

ellipsis  of  another  kind,  is  a  verb,  employed  according  to  the  positive 
form,  active  movement,  third  person  future,  which  is  transformed 
into  a  qualificative  noun,  in  order  to  become  the  epithet  of  every 
being  who  finding  Kain.  shall  slay  him. 

v.  15.     pb,   thus-saying This  is  the  assimilative  preposition 

p  inflected  by  the  directive  article  b.  The  Hellenist  translators  who 
have  seen  the  negation  X^  are  evidently  mistaken,  as  is  proved  by  the 
Samaritan  and  Chaldaic  paraphrasts  who  read  it  as  I  have. 

Dpi",  he-shall-br-caused-to-raise This  expression  is  remarkable 

for  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  misinterpreted  by  nearly  all  the 
translators  Moses  did  not  say,  as  he  has  been  made  to  say,  that  he 


136        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


15.     W  a  -i  4  o  m  e  r    1 '  6  pn  jhrr^  p5?  niJT 
IHOAH,    la-6hen    chol-horeg  . 

Kain    shibehathim    iukkam  I-P-?  ' '!'"T-  ^^T-  ^R! 

waiashem  I  H  0  A  H  TKaiji  -^3  1flN"fll3n 
aoth  1'billethi  haccoth  ^oth- 
6  chol  motzae-d, 


16.  Wa-ietzae  Kain  mi- 
1'phene!  IHOAH  wa-lesheb  b' 
seretz-nod  kidemath  heden. 


0*™"$ 


17.  Wa-iedah  Kain  aeth- 
aisheth-6,  wa-thahar  wa- 
theled  aeth-Hanoch,  wa-ihi- 
boneh  whir,  wa-ikerashem 
h  a-w  h  i  r  dhe-shem  b  e  n-6 
Handch. 


who  shall  kill  Kain  shall  be  punished  seven-fold;  but  that  he  who  shall 
slay  him  shall  give  him  seven  times  more  strength.  The  verb  Clp, 
which  is  used  in  this  instance,  is  the  same  as  the  one  used  in  v.  8.  of 
this  chapter,  to  depict  the  action  of  Kain  being  raised  against  his 
brother.  This  must  not  be  forgotten,  for  this  verb  is  purposely  re- 
peated here.  Moses  has  employed  it  according  to  the  excitative  form, 
passive  movement,  future  tense.  He  would  have  it  understood  by 
this,  that  Kain  shall  influence  in  such  a  manner  the  being  who  would 
slay  him,  that  this  being  shall  himself  receive  the  blows  which  he 
believes  will  fall  upon  Kain,  and  increase  sevenfold  his  strength  in 
thinking  to  annihilate  it 


v.  16.    All  these  terms  have  been  explained. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


137 


15.  And-he-declared-his- 
will  unto-him,  IHOAH,  thus 
saying ;    ever  y-one-slaying 
Ka/in,    seven-fold    he-shall- 
be-caused-to-raise     (Kain)  : 
and-he-put,     IHOAH,     unto- 
Kain,  a-token,  in-order-that- 
not-at-all    could-strike-him, 
everyone-finding-him. 

16.  A  n  d  -  h  e-withdrew, 
Kain,  from-over-against  the- 
face  of-lHOAH,  and-dwelt  in- 
the-land   of-the-banishment, 
(of    the    staggering    with 
fright )     t  h  e- foregone-prin- 
ciple    of-temporal-sensible- 
ness. 

17.  And-he-knew,  Kain, 
the-intellectual-m  a  t  e-h  i  s- 
own   (his  volitive  faculty)  : 
and-she-conceived    a  n  d-she 
bare     the-self  sameness     of- 
Henoch,    (the   founder,   the 
central     might)  :     then-he- 
builded  a-sheltering-w  a  r  d, 
and-he-designated-the-name- 
of-that-ward  by-the-name  of- 
the-son-his-own  Henoch. 


15.  Et-il-d6clara  sa-vo- 
Iont6  a-lui  IHOAH,  ainsi  di- 
sant ;  tout-accablant  Kain 
les-sept-fois  il-fera-exalter 
Kain:  et-il-mit,  IHOAH,  a- 
Kain  un-signe  afin-de-nulle- 
ment-pouvoir  frapper-1  u  i, 
tout-trouvant-lui. 


16.  Et-il-se-retira,  Kain, 
de-devant  le-face  de-lHOAH; 
et-il-alla  habiter  dans-la- 
terre  d'exil  t^e  la  dis- 
sension de  Teffroi),  Tan- 
teriorite  temporelle  de-la- 
sensibilit6-616mentaire. 


17.  Et-il-connut,  Kain 
la-femme-intellectuelle-sien- 
ne  (sa  facult6  volitive)  :  et- 
elle-con^ut  et-elle-enfanta  T- 
existence-de-ff  e  n  o  c  h  (la 
force  centrale,  c  e  1  u  i  qui 
fonde)  :  ensuite-il-f  u  t-£di- 
fiant  un-circuit-de-retraite, 
(un  lieu  fort)  et-il-d6signa- 
le-nom-de-ce-circuit  par-le- 
nom-du-fils-a-lui,  Henoch. 


v.  17.  Tj'in,  Henodh....  Again  I  urge  the  reader  to  give  close 
attention  to  the  proper  names;  for  to  them  Moses  attaches  great 
importance.  The  greater  part  of  the  hieroglyphic  mysteries  are  now 
In  the  form  of  these  names.  The  one  referred  to  In  this  passage,  Is 
composed  of  the  two  roots  'jn  and  ?]X .  The  first  }n ,  characterizes 
proper,  elementary  existence:  It  Is  a  kind  of  strengthening  of  the 
analogous  root  }n,  more  used,  and  which  designates  things  In  general. 
The  second  *)K,  contains  the  Idea  of  every  compression,  of  every 
effort  that  the  being  makes  upon  itself,  or  upon  another,  for  the 


138        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 


18.  Wa-i.waled  la-Hanoch     TVJfl  "TVITrW 
fpth-W  h  i  r  a  d,      w'Whirad       t* 
ialad  feth-Mehoujajel  w'Me- 
hoiijasel   ialad   seth-Methou-     «f 
shaael  ialad  aeth-Lamech. 


19.  Wa-ikkah-16  Lamedh 
shethi  nashiin,  s  h  e  m  ha- 
ahath  Whadah,  w'shem  ha- 
shenith  Tzillah. 


purpose  of  fixing  itself  or  another.  The  verb  which  comes  from  these 
two  roots,  T^n  signifies  to  fix,  to  found,  to  institute,  to  arrest  any 
existence  whatsoever. 

It  is  from  a  composition  quite  similar,  that  the  personal  pronoun 
*D*iK,  myself,  in  Hebrew,  results;  that  is  to  say  ]X  or  }~,  the  finished, 
corporeal  being,  7}1N,  founded,  *,  in  me. 

v.   18.   TVJ7,   Whirad This   noun   is   formed   from   two  roots 

-fi2  and  fl:  the  first  "!li\  offers  the  idea  of  all  excitation,  ardour, 
interior  passion:  the  second  T!f  depicts  proper,  indefinite  movement, 
as  that  of  a  wheel,  for  example.  For  the  rest,  consult  Radical  Vocabul- 
ary for  these  roots  and  those  which  follow. 


Mehoujael This    is   the    verb    ^n,    to   manifest,    to 

announce,  to  demonstrate,  employed  as  facultative,  according  to  the 
intensive  form,  by  means  of  the  initial  character  72  and  terminated 
by  the  root  ^X,  which  adds  the  idea  of  strength  and  unfoldment. 

bXEintt,   Methoushael This   noun   comes    from   two   distinct 

roots.  The  first  ffltt,  designates  death:  the  second  ~X£,  characterizes 
every  emptiness,  every  yawning  void,  every  gulf  opened  to  swallow 
up.  In  the  hieroglyphic  formation  of  the  word  SxEir?:,  the  con- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


139 


18.  A  n  d-it-was-caused- 
to-beget  unto  Henoch  the- 
selfsameness-o  f-lF h i r  ad , 
(stirring-up  motion,  self- 
leading  passion):  and 
W  h  i  r  a  d  begat  Mchujael 
(elemental  manifestation  of 
existence)  and-Mehujael  be- 
gat Methushael,  (death's 
fathomless  pit)  :  and-Neth- 
ushael  begat  Lantech  (the 
tie  of  what  tends  to  dissolu- 
tion, thing's  pliant  bond). 


19.  And-he-took  -unto- 
him,  Lantech,  two  corporeal- 
wives  (two  natural  facul- 
ties) ;  the-name  of-the-one- 
was  WJtadah,  (the  periodic, 
the  testifying)  and-the-name 
of-the-second,  Tzillah  (the 
deep,  the  dark). 


18.  E  t-i  1  f  u 
duire  a-Henoch  1'existence- 
de-Whirad,  (le  mouvenaent 
excitateur,  la  passion,  la  vo- 
lonte  conductrice);et- 
Whirad  produisit  celle-de- 
Mehoujael  (la  manifestation 
de  Fexistence)  et  Mehou- 
jael  produisit  celle-de-1/e- 
thoushacl,  (le  gouffre  de  la 
mort),  et-Methoushael  pro- 
duisit-celle-de-Z/awec/i  (le 
noeud  qui  saisit  la  dissolu- 
tion et  1'arrete;  le  lien  flex- 
ible des  choses). 

19.  Et-il-prit-p  o  u  r-1  u  i, 
Lantech.,  deux  epouses-cor- 
porelles,  (deux  facultes  phy- 
siques) :  le-nom  de-la-pre- 
miere etait-Whadah  (la 
p£riodique,  1'evidente)  :  et- 
le-nom  de-la-seconde,  Tzillah 
(la  profonde,  1'obscure,  la 
voilee). 


vertible  sign  of  the  first  root  1,  has  been  transposed  to  serve  as  liaison 
with  the  second,  to  which  has  been  joined  by  contraction,  the  syllable 
btf  whose  signification  I  have  given. 

TpV,  Lamedh....  The  roots  of  this  name  are  clear  and  simple. 
It  Is,  on  the  one  part,  '/,  which  contains  all  ideas  of  cohesion  and 
agglutination,  and  on  the  other  Tp£  ,  which  develops  all  those  of  lique- 
faction, dissolution,  prostration,  submission,  etc.  Therefore,  this  name 
characterizes  the  kind  of  bond  which  prevents  a  thing,  at  first  vehem- 
ent, violent,  and  now  subdued,  softened,  cast  down,  ready  to  be  dis- 
solved, from  being  dissolved  and  from  being  wholly  dissipated. 

The  reader  can  observe  that  Lantech  is  here  the  descendant  of 
Adam,  by  Kain  in  the  sixth  generation,  because  we  shall  see  reappear 
another  who  shall  be  by  8eth,  in  the  eighth. 

v.    19.       CTJ  ".IB,    two-corporeal-wives I   beg   the   attentive 


140        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  EESTOBED 


20.    Wa-theled    Whadah     rrn  NIP?  *?^"n#  PHI? 
feth-Jabal,   houa   haiah   abi 
Isheb  aohel  w'mikeneh. 


21.     W'shem    ahi-6    Jou-     »ag  JTPT  Kin  *?3V  VP7N  DPI 
bal,    houa   halah   abi    chol- 
thophesh  chi-nor  w'hougab. 


reader  to  remember  that  intellectual  man  2TX,  Atsft,  had  not  yet 
appeared  upon  the  cosmogonical  scene,  and  that  Moses  had  only  named 
universal  man  C1X ,  Adam,  when  he  mentioned  for  the  first  time 
intellectual  woman  HEX,  Aishah,  volitive  faculty  of  universal  man. 
Thus  it  is,  that  the  name  of  the  Adamic  element  nttlX,  had  preceded 
the  name  itself  of  Adam.  The  hierographic  writer  follows  still  the 
same  course.  Corporeal  man  S?*2X,  ^Enosh,  is  not  born,  and  behold 
already  corporeal  woman  who  appears  as  the  double  physical  faculty 
of  the  cosmogonic  being,  designated  by  the  name  of  Lamech,  descendant 
of  Kain. 

I  shall  not  dwell  now  upon  the  radical  etymology  of  the  word 
which  Moses  uses  on  this  occasion.  I  shall  wait  until  making  the 
analysis  of  the  name  itself  of  corporeal  man  tf*3X,  from  which  it  is 
derived.  For  the  moment,  I  shall  only  observe  that  corporeal  woman 
is  not  presented  as  such,  but  as  divided  in  two  physical  faculties, 
Whadah  and  Tzillah,  the  evident  and  the  veiled,  whose  productions 
we  are  about  to  see. 

my,  Whadah In  this  proper  name  should  be  seen  the  root 

TIJ>,  which  characterizes  the  periodic  return  of  the  same  thing,  its 
evidence  and  the  testimony  rendered. 

nVlt,  Tzillah This  name  is  attached  to  the  root  VlS.  which 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


141 


20.  And-she-bare,   Wha- 
dah,     the-self  sameness     of- 
Jabal,    (the    over    flowing, 
the  waterish,  the  plenty  of 
nature) he- who   was   the-fa- 
ther  (founder)  of-theabode- 
aloft,       (repairing      distin- 
guished  place)    and-of-the- 
own-making-might,    (lawful 
property). 

21.  And-the-name-of-the- 
brother-of-him  was-J  u  b  a  I, 

(universal  effluence,  prin- 
ciple of  sound,  jubilation, 
thriving)  he-who  was  the- 
father  (founder)  of-every 
conception,  hint-brightness- 
like  an d-love- worthy  (use- 
ful and  pleasing  arts). 


20.  Et-elle-enfanta  Wha- 
dah    ce-qui-concerne-Ja6a/, 
(le  flux   des   eaux,   Pabon- 
dance    naturelle,    la    ferti- 
lite),    lui-qui    fut    le-pere- 
(le    cr6ateur)    de    1'habita- 
tion-elevee    (lieu   de  retour 
fixe  et  remarquable, )  et-de- 
la-force-concentrante  et-  ap- 
propriatrice,  (la  propriete). 

21.  Et-le-nom  du-frere-a- 
lui  Gtait-Joubal,   (le  fluide 
universel,  le-principe  du  son 
celui    qui    communique    la 
joie  et   la  prosperity),   lui- 
qui  fut  le-pere  de-toute-con- 
ception-lumineuse  et-digne- 
d 'amour      (de     toutes     les 
sciences  et  de  tous  les  arts 
utiles  et  agreables). 


designates  a  depth  to  which  the  light  cannot  penetrate,  a  dark,  gloomy 
place;  a  shadowy,  veiled  thing,  etc. 

v.  20.  Var1,  Jabal This  is  the  root  ^3  or  Vl2  spoken  of  in  v. 

2  of  this  chapter,  verbalized  by  the  initial  adjunction  *. 

n3pW,  and-of-the-own-making-might I  refer  the  reader  to  v. 

1  and  2  of  this  chapter,  wherein  I  have  spoken  of  the  root  p,  and  of 
the  verbs  ]1p  and  n:p,  which  are  drawn  from  it.  This  root,  which 
develops  here  the  idea  of  taking  possession,  of  property,  is  governed 
by  the  plastic  sign  of  exterior  action  73. 

v.  21.     bl*r,  Jubal This  name  is  attached  to  the  same  root 

as  that  of  Jabal,  but  it  is  taken  In  a  loftier  sense,  by  means  of  the 
sign  *i,  which  makes  it  a  continued  facultative.  The  Hellenists  have 
seen  in  this  Jubal.  a  player  upon  the  psaltery  and  harp;  and  Saint 
Jerome,  a  master  of  song  upon  the  harp  and  upon  the  organ  !  this 
latter  translator  has  only  followed  the  Chaldaic  targum. 


142        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 

22.     W'Tzillah     gam-hia     ^frriN  m1?*  N'H'DJ 
ialedah     aeth-Thoubal-Kain 
lotesh  chol-horesh  nehosheth 
w'barzel,   w'ahoth  Thoubal- 
Kain  Nahomah. 


23.    Wa-iaomer  Lemedh  1'     ;f?y)  mi?  VJ&tf? 
nashai-6  Whadah  w'Tzillah, 
shemahan  kol-i  noshei  Le-    'W? 
mech,  ha-azennah  amerath- 
i  dhi  aishharagthi  rphitzeM 
w'ieled  l'habburath-i. 


1133,  brightness  ----  This  word  which  these  same  interpreters 
have  made  to  signify  a  harp,  is  only  the  word  TiJ  light,  or  glory, 
inflected  by  the  assimilative  article  D.  The  reader  has  observed  a 
great  number  of  blunders  which  have  no  other  source  than  the  over- 
sight of  this  important  article. 


1,  and-worthy-oj-love  ____  I  cannot  conceive  how  one  has  seen 
here  a  psaltery  or  an  organ,  since  it  is  known  that  the  Hebrew  •word 
333?  signifies  loving  attention,  and  that  its  Arabic  analogue  >-^  expresses 
that  which  leads  to  admiration,  joy  and  happiness.  All  these  errors 
proceed  from  having  taken  the  facultative  US  "in,  to  be  comprehending, 
seizing,  in  the  material  sense,  instead  of  the  spiritual;  that  instead 
of  seeing  an  effect  of  the  intelligence,  one  has  seen  a  movement  of  the 
hand. 

v.  22.  'pp-VDin,  Thubal-Kain  ____  It  is  always  the  same  root  >D, 
from  which  are  formed  the  names  of  Jabal  and  Jubal;  but  ruled  on 
this  occasion  by  the  sign  of  reciprocity  n»  The  name  of  Kain,  which 
is  added  to  it,  has  been  explained  as  much  as  it  could  be,  in  v.  1,  of 
this  chapter. 

ntty  J  ,  Nawhomah  ----  The  root  CI>  contains  all  ideas  of  union, 
junction,  bringing  together:  it  is,  on  the  one  part,  the  sign  of  material 
sense  and  on  the  other,  the  plastic  sign  of  exterior  action,  which,  as 


COSMOGONY  OP  MOSES 


143 


22.  And  TziUah  also,  she- 
b  a  r  e  w  h  a  t-relates-to-TViu- 
bal-Kain    (mutual   yielding 
of  the  central  might),  whet- 
ting ever  y-cutting-b  r  a  s  s 
and-iron :     and-the-kindred- 
of-Thubal-Kain    was    Naw- 
homah   (meeting  might,  so- 
ciableness). 

23.  And-he-said,  Lantech, 
u  n  t  o-t  h  e-corporeal  -  wives- 
his-own,    his    bodily    facul- 
ties)  Whadah,  aud-Tzillah: 
hearken-to   the-voice-m  i  n  e, 
ye-wives  of-Lamech;  listen- 
to-the-speech-mine :    f  o  r-a  s 
the-intellectual-man      (that 
is  to  say,  man  individuated 
by    his   own    will)    I-have- 
slain-for-the-stretching  (sol- 
ution, freedom ) -mine ;  and- 
the-p  r  o  g  e  n  y    ( particular 
stock)  for-the  framing-mine 
(in  society) : 


22.  Et-Tzillah  aussi,  elle- 
e  n  f  a  n  t  a  ce-qui-concerne- 
Thoubal-Kain   (la  diffusion 
abondante  de  la  force  cen- 
tral ) ,  aiguisant  tout-coupant 
d'airain  et-de-fer:  et-la-par- 
ente    de    Thoubal-Kain    fut 
Naichomah  (la  sociation,  1'- 
aggregation). 

23.  EUl-ddt,    Lantech, 
aux  e  p  o  u  s  e  s  corporelles- 
siennes   (ses  facultes  physi- 
ques)    Whadah    et-Tzillah: 
e  c  o  u  t  e  z    1  a-voix-mienne, 
epouses  de-Lantech;  pretez 
Toreille-a    la-parole-a-m  o  i : 
car   comme   rhomme-intell- 
ectuel  (rhomme  individual- 
ist par  sa  propre  volonte) 
j'airaccab!6   (d^truit)   pour- 
la-dilatation  (la  solution,  la 
libre  extension  )-mienne,  et- 
la-progeniture  (la  ligne"e,  la 
famille  particuliere),  pour- 
la-formation-a-moi : 


final  character,  offers  the  image  of  generalization.  Taken  as  noun, 
this  root  designates  a  people;  as  relation,  it  acquires  a  copulative  force 
and  signifies  with.  In  this  instance  it  is  employed  as  continued  facultr 
ative,  passive  movement,  feminine,  and  signifies  literally,  the-becoming- 
united,  assembled,  formed  by  aggregation. 

v.  23 This  is  one  of  the  verses  of  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses, 

that  its  translators  have  mutilated  the  most.  I  beg  the  reader  to  ex- 
amine this  Latin  which  is  the  exact  translation  of  the  Greek:  "Dixitque 
Lamech  uxoribus  suis  Adae  et  Sellse:  audite  vocem  meam,  uxores 
Lamech,  ausculate  sermonem  meum;  quoniam  occidi  virum  in  vulnus 
meum  et  adolescentulum  in  livorem  meum."  This  is  to  say,  that  after 


144        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


24.  Chi  shibehathalm  iuk-     tlD1?')  Tp   Dp* 
kam  Kain,  w'Lemech  shibe- 
hairn  w'shibehah.  •' 


all  the  emphasis  that  Lamech  has  given  to  make  his  wives  listen,  he 
ridiculously  tells  them  that  he  has  killed  a  man  to  his  wounding,  and 
a  young  man  to  his  hurt.  Let  us  examine  the  real  meaning  of  this 
phrase. 

ETN,  the-intellectual-man  ----  As  I  have  had  occasion  to  state 
several  times,  the  Hebraic  tongue  possesses  many  expressions  to 
designate  man.  These  expressions,  formed  with  high  wisdom,  all 
contain  a  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense  beyond  the  literal  one.  I 
have  taken  care  to  make  an  exact  analysis  of  them  according  as  they 
present  themselves  to  me.  I  have  already  explained  the  name  of  Adam, 
universal  man,  and  that  of  Aish,  intellectual  man,  and  made  clear  the 
difference.  The  reader  can  review  what  I  have  said  upon  this  subject 
in  v.  6,  ch.  1,  and  in  v.  23,  ch.  II.  The  name  of  &nosh,  corporeal  man, 
has  not  yet  been  presented  for  our  examination;  but  we  have  already 
seen  the  physical  faculties  which  lead  to  it.  These  several  expressions 
for  designating  man,  are  very  far  from  being  synonyms.  Moses  who 
carefully  distinguishes  them,  places  and  uses  them  with  an  infinite 
art.  The  one  referred  to  here,  is  not  corporeal  man,  as  its  trans- 
lators would  believe,  but  intellectual  man;  that  is  to  say,  man 
individualized  by  his  efficient  will.  Therefore  it  is  not  a  man,  properly 
so-called,  that  Lamech  kills,  but  the  moral  individuality  of  man  which 
he  causes  to  disappear.  He  does  not  kill  it  "in  vulnus",  to  his  wound- 
ing, to  Lamech's,  which  has  no  sense. 


,  for-the-stretching-mine  ____  That  is  to  say  for  my  extension, 
for  the  free  exercise  of  my  forces.  This  is  proved  beyond  question,  by 
the  root  y®,  whence  this  word  is  derived,  and  which  is  related  to  all 
ideas  of  diffusion,  of  loosening,  of  setting  at  liberty.  The  Chaldaic 
n-XB,  the  Syriac  {^  ,  the  Samaritan  3f/]JJ.  the  Arabic  <ya»  all  give 
evidence  in  favour  of  this  meaning. 

1^1,  and-the-progeny  ----       This  is  not  a  young  man,  "adolescen- 
tulum"  which  Lamech  kills  or  destroys,  it  is  the  spirit  of  the  race, 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  145 

24.    So-seven-fold  it-shall-  24.    Ainsi  les-sept-fois  il- 

be  -  caused  -  to  -  raise    Kain,  sera-fait-exalter    Kain,    et- 

and   Lantech   seventy    and-  Lamech   septante  et-s  e  p  t- 

seven-fold.  fois. 


the  lineage,  the  filiation,  which  he  sacrifices  with  B*K,  individualized 
man,  by  his  will,  and  this  is  why: 


,  for-the-framing-mine....  The  term  is  clear  as  daylight. 
Not  only  the  root  ID,  a  son,  and  the  verb  K'h3  to  create,  whence  this 
word  is  derived,  lead  to  this  meaning,  but  also  the  analogous  verbs 
used  in  Chaldaic,  Syriac,  Ethiopia,  etc.,  leave  no  doubt  in  this  regard. 
Now,  let  the  reader  consider  whether  there  is  anything  more  just  than 
this  phrase,  wherein  Lamech,  considered  as  a  certain  bond  destined 
to  arrest  the  dissolution  of  things,  as  a  legislative  force,  announces, 
that  to  extend  general  liberty,  he  has  destroyed  the  moral  Individuality 
of  man;  and  that,  to  form  the  great  family  of  peoples,  he  has  destroyed 
the  spirit  of  the  particular  family,  which  is  opposed  to  him. 

Whatever  Lamech  imay  be,  and  neither  can  I,  nor  do  I  wish  to 
explain  his  origin,  he  is,  as  we  have  seen,  the  bond  of  that  which  is 
subdued  in  his  passion:  for,  he  has  two  corporeal  wives,  or  rather 
two  physical  faculties  which  give  him;  Jabal,  principle  of  aqueous 
effusion,  whence  come  terrestrial  fertility,  the  settling  of  wandering 
tribes  and  property;  Jubal,  principle  of  ethereal  effusion,  source  of 
moral  affections  and  of  happiness:  Thubal-Kain,  principle  of  central  or 
mercurial  effusion,  whence  result  physical  power,  metals,  and  the 
instruments  that  they  furnish;  and  finally,  Nawhomah,  principle  of 
union  in  society.  This  is  a  chain  of  ideas  which  leaves  nothing  to  be 
desired  and  which  throw*  upon  the  phrase  alluded  to,  a  light  that  I 
believe  irresistible. 

T.  24.  cpv,  it-shall-be-caused-to-raitc  ----  What  I  have  said 
concerning  this  word,  can  be  reviewed  in  v.  15  of  this  chapter.  That 
which  was  applicable  then  to  .Kain,  has  become  so  for  Lamech,  but  in 
a  much  more  eminent  degree. 


146        THE   HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
25.    Wa-iedah  Adam  h6d     -^fn  Ifitf'  NVltf  Titf  DIN  JT!*1 

' 


Sheth,  dhi-shath  11  ^Elohlm,     finfl  "IHtf  )TTJ 

zerah   aher   thahath    Hebel 

dhi  harag-6  Kaln.  J  P 


T.  25.      no,   Sheth The  signification  of  this  name  is  of  the 

utmost  importance  for  those  seeking  to  penetrate  the  essence  of  things. 
This  name,  as  mysterious  as  those  of  Kain  and  flab  el  could  never  be 
translated  exactly.  All  that  I  can  do  is  to  furnish  the  means  necessary 
for  unveiling  the  hieroglyphic  depth.  First  let  us  examine  the  root 
The  two  signs  which  compose  it  are  V ,  sign  of  relative  duration  and 
of  movement,  and  that  of  reciprocity,  of  mutual  tendency,  of  the  liaison 
of  things,  n.  United  by  the  universal,  convertible  sign,  they  form 
the  verbal  root  rVKB,  which  is  related  to  every  action  of  placing,  dis- 
posing, setting,  founding.  Considered  as  noun,  the  root  D27,  signifies 
foundation,  in  all  of  the  acceptations  of  this  word,  and  depicts  the 
good,  as  well  as  the  bad,  the  highest,  as  well  as  the  lowest  of  things. 
It  can  signify  also,  every  kind  of  beverage,  and  provides  the  verb  n*£VD 
to  drink;  because  it  is  water,  which,  by  its  determined  movement,  in- 
dicates always  the  deepest  place,  that  upon  which  is  placed  the  found- 
ation. 

But  not  only  does  the  word  IW  express  at  once,  the  foundation  of 
things,  and  the  element  which  inclines  to  it,  but  it  also  serves  in 
Hebrew,  to  designate  the  number  two,  in  its  feminine  acceptation,  and 
in  Chaldaic,  the  number  six.  I  shall  not  speak  now  concerning  the 
signification  of  these  numbers,  because  it  would  engage  me  in  details 
that  I  wish  to  avoid:  later  on  I  shall  do  so.  Suffice  to  say  here,  that 
the  name  of  Sheth,  or  Seth,  presents  itself,  as  those  of  Kain  and  of 
Habel,  under  two  acceptations  wholly  opposed.  We  have  seen  in  treat- 
ing of  the  latter  two,  that  if  Kain  was  the  emblem  of  force  and  power, 
he  was  also  that  of  rage  and  usurpation;  we  have  seen  that  if  one 
considered  Babel  as  the  emblem  of  thought  and  of  the  universal  soul. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  147 

25.     Afld-he-knew,  Adam,  25.      Et-il-connut,   Adam, 

again,  the-intellectual-mate-  encore,     l'6pouse-intellectu- 

his-own    (his  efficient  voli-  elle-sienne   (sa  facult6  voli- 

tive   faculty)  :   and -she-bare  tive    efficiente)  :    et-elle-en- 

a-son ;  and-she-assigned  for-  fanta  un-fils ;  et-elle-assigna 

name-to-him      Sheth      ( the  c  e-n  o  m-a-1  n  i  Sheth  (la 

bottom,  the  site)  :  for-thus  base,  le  fondement)  :  parce- 

(said    she)     he-has-settled-  qu'ainsi      il-a-fonde     pour- 

for-me,  HB-the-Gods,  a-seed  moi,       (dit-elle)      LUi-les 

other  of-t  h  e-a  ba  t  e  m  e  n  t  Dieux,    une-semence    autre 

(falling-down)   ofHabel,  de-1'abattement     d'Habel, 

whilst  he-slew-him,  Kain.  lorsqu'il-accabla-lui,  Kain. 


he  was  also  regarded  as  that  of  nothingness  and  of  absolute  void: 
now,  Sheth  is  the  object  of  a  contrast  no  less  striking.  The  Hebrews, 
it  is  true,  have  represented  him  as  the  type  of  a  chosen  family;  the 
historian  Josephus  has  attributed  to  him  the  erection  of  those  famous 
columns,  upon  which  was  carved  the  history  of  mankind  and  the 
principles  of  universal  morals;  certain  oriental  peoples  and  particularly 
those  who  make  profession  of  sabaeanism,  have  revered  him  as  prophet; 
indeed  many  of  the  gnostics  called  themselves  Sethians:  but  it  is 
known,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  Egyptians  confusing  him  with 
Tj/phon,  called  him  the  violent,  the  destructor,  and  gave  him  the  odious 
surnames  of  Bubon  and  of  Smou:  it  is  also  known  that  the  Arabs 
considering  him  as  the  genius  of  evil,  called  him  Shathan,  by  adding 
to  his  primitive  name  tW  the  augmentative  final  p.  This  terrible 
name,  given  to  the  infernal  adversary,  Satan,  in  passing  into  the 
Hebraic  tongue  with  the  poems  of  Job,  has  brought  there  all  the  un- 
lavourable  ideas  which  the  Arabs  and  the  Egyptians  attached  to  the 
name  of  Seth,  Sath  or  Both,  without  harming,  nevertheless,  the  poster- 
ity of  this  same  Sheth,  whom  the  Hebrews  have  continued  to  regard 
as  the  one  from  whom  men,  in  general,  and  their  patriarch,  in  part- 
icular, drew  their  origin. 

nnn,  of-the-abatement This  word  is  one  of  extreme  import- 
ance for  the  understanding  of  this  verse.  It  indicates  clearly,  the 
source  of  this  new  seed  from  which  Sheth  has  been  formed.  The 
Hellenists  and  Saint  Jerome,  took  care  not  to  see  nor  render  it.  The 
Samaritan  translator  is  the  only  one  who  has  given  it  attention.  He 
has  rendered  it  by  J/jJ^C  •  transition,  mutation,  misfortune. 


148        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

26.     WTSheth  gam-houA  jopn  p  '  ^  Wfl  '  D 
iullad-ben,    wa-iker&    aeth-  u 

shem-6  ^nosh  az  hoiihal  li-  *"$?/ 
kerod  b'shem  IHOAH. 


v.  26.       ft'tiX,  corporeal  man This  is  the  third  name  -which 

Moses  has  employed  to  designate  man.  By  the  first,  2")X,  he  designa- 
ted universal  man,  divine  similitude;  by  the  second,  U"X,  he  charac- 
terized intellectual  man,  considered  relative  to  the  volitive  faculty, 
free  and  efficient,  which  individualizes  him  and  makes  him  a  particular 
being;  now  he  considers  man  in .  relation  to  his  physical  faculties, 
and  he  calls  him  ETiJX  corporeal  man. 

Let  us  examine  the  inner  composition  of  this  third  name.  Two 
roots  are  found  here  contracted,  E^-pX.  The  first  "pX  develops,  as  I 
have  already  said,  the  contradictory  ideas  of  being  and  nothingness, 
of  strength  and  weakness,  of  virtue  and  vice.  The  second  ETiJ,  ex- 
presses the  instability  of  temporal  things,  their  caducity,  their  infirm- 
ity. This  last  root  is  found  in  the  Arabic  ^  f  in  the  Syriac  _«j  , 
and  is  recognized  easily  in  the  Greek  voffetv,  which  is  derived  from  it. 

Thus  constituted,  the  word  ETOX  produces  its  feminine  HE73:  but 
here  the  hieroglyphic  meaning  is  discovered.  I  have  already  remarked 
that  Moses  or  his  instructors,  wishing  to  draw  from  the  intellectual 
principle  t^X,  the  volitive  faculty  HEX,  makes  the  sign  of  manifesta- 
tion disappear.  Now,  in  order  to  deduce  the  physical  faculties  of 
the  corporeal  being  E"OX  they  suppress  the  initial  sign  of  power  N, 
and  that  of  light  *•  ,  and  put  the  word  E?J  thus  restricted,  in  the 
masculine  plural  Q-UX  a  number  which,  as  we  have  learned  by  the 
Grammar  is  confounded  with  the  dual  feminine. 

Here  already  are  three  different  names  given  to  man,  considered 
as  universal,  intellectual  or  corporeal,  of  which  the  translators  have 
made  no  distinction.  Further  on  we  shall  find  a  fourth.  I  urge  the 
reader  to  reflect  upon  the  gradation  that  Moses  has  kept  in  the 
employment  of  these  terms.  At  first,  it  is  the  Divinity  who  creates  C"1X 
Adam,  universal  man,  and  who  gives  him  for  companion  HEX,  efficient 
volitive  faculty.  This  faculty,  become  mn  Hewah,  elementary  life, 
creates  in  its  turn  ETX,  intelligent  being,  man  individualized  by  his 
will.  Afterward,  it  is  the  intellectual  being,  -who,  under  the  name  of 
<3heth,  son  of  Adam,  brings  forth  corporeal  man  ETiJX,  &nosh,  but 
already  the  physical  faculties  BT3  Noshim,  had  been  named  as  wives 
of  Lamech,  descendant  of  Adam,  by  Kain  in  the  sixth  generation. 

I  beg  the  reader  also,  to  compare  carefully  Kain  and  Sheth,  and 
the  posterity  of  the  one,  with  the  posterity  of  the  other.  If  he  recalls 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  149 

26.  And-unto-£/ie£/valso-  26.    Et-k-Sheth,  aussi-lui, 

him,   it-was-caused-to  beget  il-fut-fait-engendrer  un-fils: 

a-son ;  and-he-assigned  for-  et-il-assigna  ce-n  o  m-a-1  u  i 

name-to-him  SEnosh  (cor-  JEnosh  (Thomme  corporel), 

poreal    man),    then   it- was-  alors  il-fut-esp6rer,   selon-P 

caused-to-hope     by-the-call-  action    d'invoquer    'au-nom 

ing-upon   in-the-name   of-  de-lHOAH. 
IHOAH. 


that  Kain  produced  Henoch  and  if  he  examines  now  the  one  which 
produces  Sheth,  he  will  find  that  the  name  of  JEnosh,  here  referred  to, 
differs  only  from  the  former  by  a  certain  softening  in  the  characters 
of  which  both  are  composed.  The  vowel  n,  which  begins  the  name  of 
Henoch,  indicates  a  painful  effort;  the  consonant  3,  -which  terminates 
it,  a  sharp  compression:' on  the  contrary,  the  vowel  N  which  begins 
that  of  JEnosh,  announces  a  tranquil  power,  and  the  consonant  £» 
which  terminates  it,  a  gentle  movement  relative  to  a  transient  dura- 
tion. Henoch  arrests,  fixes,  centralizes:  ^nosh  lets  go,  relaxes,  carries 
to  the  circumference. 

Vnin,  it-was-caused-to-hope The  verb  Sin,  In  question  here, 

springs  from  the  root  Vn,  which  presents  the  idea  of  a  persevering 
effort,  of  a  sharp  tension.  As  verb,  it  would  mean  in  this  instance, 
for  it  contains  besides  a  great  number  of  acceptations,  to  suffer  with 
patience  one's  misfortunes,  to  hope,  to  place  faith  in  something.  It  is 
employed  according  to  the  excitative  form,  passive  movement,  third 
person,  past  tense.  I  urge  the  reader  to  note  with  what  adroitness, 
Moses,  producing  upon  the  scene  of  the  world  corporeal  and  suffering 
man,  gives  him  the  necessary  firmness  to  support  his  sorrow  coura- 
geously, by  putting  his  hope  in  the  invocation  of  the  Sacred  Name  of 
the  Divinity. 

I  urge  the  reader  to  refer  constantly  to  the  Radical  Vocabulary  to 
obtain  a  more  ample  account  of  the  roots  that  I  have  often  only  in- 
dicated. This  research  will  be  especially  useful  in  the  chapter  which 
follows. 


150        THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  KESTOKED 

SEPHEE   BER^SHITH  *)-; 

H. 


Zeh  Ser  tho-ledoth 
Adam  b'iom  beroa  ^Elohim     niD"p  DTK 


2.     Zacher  w-nekebah     QHN  T"On  DH3  H3.l  ")3 

aTw^rfSh 
Adam  b'iom  bi-baram. 


3.   Wa-ihi   Adam   shelos-     ft)tf  nNOI  D'B'  D"N  »PT»1 

Serr^rir 

ikera  aeth-shem-6  Sheth. 


v.  1.    All  these  terms  have  been  previously  explained. 

v.  2.     DttE,  universal-name This  is  the  substantive  DTP  ,  to 

which  Moses  here  adds  the  final  collective  sign  n,  to  leave  no  doubt 
as  to  the  universal  signification  which  he  gives  to  Adam.  I  wish  to 
call  particular  attention  to  this  sign,  as  I  shall  refer  to  it  again  upon 
a  very  important  occasion. 

v.  3.  !~l3tZ7,  of -being' s-temporal-revolving-change. . . .  Before  ex- 
plaining this  word,  I  believe  it  advisable  to  give  the  etymology  of  the 
names  of  the  numbers  about  to  be  presented  in  this  chapter.  These 
names  are  not  placed  undesignedly  or  simply  introduced  in  chronolo- 
gical order,  as  has  been  supposed.  Those  who  have  understood  them 
in  their  strict  acceptations,  and  who  have  taken  them  literally  as 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  151 

GENESIS  V.  COSMOGONIE  V. 


1.  This-is  the-book  of-the 
symbolical-progenies  o  f  - 
Adam,  at-the-day  that-creat- 
ing, HE-the-Gods,  Adam 
(collective  man)  in-the-like- 
making-like  HiM-the-Gods, 
he-made  the-selfsameness- 
his. 


1.  Ceci-est  le-livre  des- 
caracteristiques-generations 
d'A  d  a  m,  des-le-jour  que- 
creant,  LUi-les-Dieux,  Adam 
(Thomme  universel)  selon- 
1'action-assimilante  de-LUi- 
les-Dieux,  il-fit  1  a-s  e  i  t  e- 
sienne. 


2.  Male  and-female,   he- 
created-them;    and-he- 
blessed-them,  and-he-assign- 
ed  this-u  niversal-name 
Adam,  at-the-day,  of-the-be- 
ing-ereated-them  -  universal- 
ly. 

3.  And-he-was-b  e  i  n  g, 
A  dam,    three-tens    and-one- 
hundred     (extension,    stret- 
ching), of-being's  temporal- 
revolving»-change ;    a  n  d-he- 
begat  by-the-like-making- 
like-himself,    in-the-shadow- 
his-own    (an    issued  off- 
spring)      a  n  d-h  e-assigned 
this-name-to-him,  Sheth. 


2.  Male  et-femelle  il-crea- 
eux ;  et-il-benit-eux ;  et-il- 
a  s  s  i  g  n  a  ce-nom-universel 
Adam,  des-le-jour  d'etre- 
crees-eux-universellement. 


3.  Et-il-exista,  A  d  a  m, 
trois-decuples  et-une-cen- 
taine  (une  extension),  de- 
mutation-temporelle-ontolo- 
gique;  et-il-genera  selon-P 
action-d'assimiler-a-lui,  en- 
ombre-s ienne  (un  etre 
^mane)  et-il-assigna-ce-nom- 
a-lui,  Sheth. 


being  applied  to  days,  months  or  years,  have  proved  their  ignorance 
or  their  bad  faith.  To  believe  that  Moses  has  really  restricted  to  a 
duration  of  six  days,  such  as  we  understand  them  today,  the  act  of 
universal  creation,  or  that  he  here  restricts  the  lives  of  the  cosmogonlc 
beings  of  which  he  speaks,  to  a  certain  number  of  years  such  as  we 
calculate  them,  is  to  do  him  gratuitous  injury,  and  treat  him  in  this 
respect,  as  one  would  treat  an  orator  whose  eloquence  one  condemns 
before  learning  the  tongue  in  which  the  orator  is  expressing  himself. 


152        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


4.     Wa-ihiou    imei-Adam    n^n    Hlltf    D"1N"»D»    WT1 
aharei     holid-6     seth-Sheth          ' 
shemoneh     m£oth     shanah, 
wa-ioled  banim  w'banoth. 


I  believe  I  have  made  it  sufficiently  understood  that  the  word  D*" 
day,  by  which  Moses  designates  the  phenomenal  manifestations  of  the 
act  of  the  creation,  should  be  applied  to  a  certain  revolution  of  light, 
which  the  genius  of  this  wonderful  man,  or  of  his  instructors,  had 
foreseen.  In  the  note  which  follows  I  shall  explain,  that  the  word 
."OB,  which  has  been  translated  by  year,  signifies  an  ontological,  tem- 
poral duration;  that  is  to  say,  relative  to  the  diverse  mutations  of 
the  being  to  which  it  is  applied.  I  shall  omit  in  the  following,  the 
ontological  epithet,  in  order  to  avoid  delays,  but  it  is  implied.  Here 
are  the  names  of  numbers. 

I.  "ins,  one.     The  root  "jn,  from  which  this  word  is  formed,  and 
which  is  sometimes  taken  for  unity  itself,  particularly  in  Chaldaic, 
signifies  literally,  a  point,  a  summit,  the  sharpest  part  of  a  thing;  the 
top  of  a  pyramid.     It  is   division  arrested,  subjugated  by  a  sort  of 
effort;  as  the  two  signs  1  and  PJ  which  compose  it,  indicate.    In  the 
feminine  it  is  written    nnx. 

II.  "jr,  *JE?  or  D"3B,  two.    The  root  }B,  composed  of  the  sign  of 
relative  duration   E,  and  that  of  produced  being  or  growth   ],  contains 
all  ideas  of  mutation,  of  transition,  of  passing  from  one  state  to  an- 
other, of  redundancy.    Thus  the  name  of  this   number  in  bringing 
diversity,  change  and  variation,  is  the  opposite  in  everything  from  the 
preceding  number,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  arrests  division  and  tends 
to  immutability.     The  feminine  is  nff,  Tit-  and  CTIU. 

III.  srr?E?,  three.     This  word  is  formed  from  the  two  contracted 
roots    snb-Vs?,  as  opposed  in  their  significations  as  in  the  arrangement 
of  their  characters.     By  the  first   Vtf,  is  understood  every  extraction 
or  subtraction;  by  the  second  "sfo,  on  the  contrary,  every  amalgama- 
tion, every  kneading  together,  if  I  may  use  this  word.    Thus  the  name 
of  number  three,  presents  therefore,  in  Hebrew,  under  a  new  form, 
the  opposed  ideas  contained  in  one  and  two;  that  is,  the  extraction. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES                    153 

4.  And-they-were  the-days  4.     Et-ils-furent  les-jours 

(the  manifested  lights)   of-  (les   manifestations   pheno- 

A  d  a  m,  a  f  t  e  r-the-causing-  meniques)  tii'Adam  apres-le- 

him-to-beget       the-selfsame-  faire-enfanter-a-lui  1'ipseite- 

ness-of-Sheth,     eight     hun-  de-Sheth,  huit  centaines  de- 

d  r  e  d  s  of-revolving-change :  mutation-temporelle :     et-il- 

a  n  d-he-t  e  e  m  e  d  sons  and-  genera     fils     et-filles     (une 

daughters  (many  issued  be-  foule  d'etres  eman&s), 
ings). 


consequence  of  the  division,  becomes  a  kind  of  relative  unity.  This 
new  unity  is  represented  in  a  great  many  words  under  the  idea  of 
peace,  welfare,  perfection,  eternal  happiness,  etc. 


IV.  yDlK,  four.  I  have  spoken  of  this  word  in  v.  10  of  chapter 
II;  it  is  needless  to  repeat.  Its  root  21  involves  every  idea  of 
strength,  of  solidity,  of  greatness,  resulting  from  extent  and  numerical 
multiplication. 

v.  EEn,  five.  This  word  expresses  a  movement  of  contraction 
and  of  apprehension,  as  that  which  results  from  the  five  fingers  of 
the  hand  grasping  a  thing,  pressing  tightly  and  warming  it.  Its 
root  is  double,  on,  the  first,  designates  the  effect  of  the  second,  EJS, 
that  is  to  say,  the  former  depicts  the  general  envelopment,  the  heat 
which  results  and  the  effect  of  the  contractile  movement  impressed 
by  the  latter. 

VI.  W3,    six.    The    root  W   contains    all    ideas    of   equality,    of 
equilibrium,  of  fitness,  of  proportion  in  things.    United   to  the   sign 
of  relative  duration    E    in  order  to   form   the  name  of  this  number, 
it   becomes  the   symbol   of  every  proportional   and   relative   measure. 
Tt  is  quite  well  known  that  the  number  six  is  applied  in  particular, 
to    the    measure   of   the   circle,   and    in    general,    to   all    proportional 
measures.     One  finds  in  the  feminine,    TWO,  and  the  Chaldaic  reads 
HE  :    which   is  not  unlike  the  name  of  number    two;   furthermore, 
between  these  there  exist  great  analogies,  since  six  is  to  three,  what 
two    is    to   one;   and    since   we   have   seen   that   three   represented    a 
sort  of  unity. 

VII.  yiV,   seven.    One   can   review   v.   3,   chapter    II,   wherein    I 
have   given   the   origin  of  this   word  and   stated   why   I   attach  to   it 
ideas  of  complement,  of  accomplishment,  and  of  the  consummation 
of  things  and  of  times. 

VIII.  nJEU,   eight.    This   word    springs    from   the   double   root 
DIE?  and  p?3.    By    the    first  D\V,  is  understood  the  action  of  placing, 


154         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


5.     Wa-ih!.ou      ehol-imei     »n~")^   DIN    'P'^D   VJT1 
Adam     asher-hal     theoshah 

ma>6th  shanah  w-sheloshlm     '*W  W™  $#  niKD  Wf? 
shanah,  wa-lamoth. 


of  putting  one  thing  upon  another;  by  the  second  "(ITS  that 
of  specifying,  of  distinguishing  by  forms.  It  is  therefore,  the 
accumulation  of  forms  that  should  be  understood  by  this  number. 
This  signification  is  made  obvious  by  that  of  the  verb  y.EE,  which 
means  literally,  to  fatten,  to  make  larger. 

IX.  jran,    nine.    The    root   yv  ,    which   signifies   literally,    lime, 
cement,  draws  with  it  all  ideas  of  cementation,  consolidation,  restora- 
tion, conservation,  etc.     The  verb  yVD,  which  comes  from  it,  expresses 
the  action  of  cementing,  plastering,  closing  carefully.     Therefore  the 
name  of  this  number,  being  visibly  composed  of  this  root  yv  ,  gov- 
erned by  the  sign  of  reciprocity   n,  should  be  understood  as  cementa- 
tion,  as   mutual   consolidation.     It  maintains   with   number   three,   a 
very  intimate  relation,  containing  like  it,  ideas  of  preservation  and 
salvation. 

X.  "iWf  ten.    This  is  to  say,  the  congregation  of  power  proper, 
of  elementary  motive  force.    This  meaning  results  from  the  two  con- 
tracted  roots    YtfTJJ.     By  the  first   2?1\    is   understood,  every   forma- 
tion by  aggregation;   thence,  the  verb   nlEy    to  make;  by  the  second, 
"12?  ,  every  motive  principle;  thence,  the  verb  112?   to  direct,  to  govern. 

In  going  back  now  over  these  explanations,  the  general  significa- 
tions of  the  Hebraic  decade  can  be  given  as  follows: 

1,  principiation  and  stability:  2,  distinction  and  transition:  3, 
extraction  and  liberation:  4,  multiplication:  5,  comprehension:  6,  pro- 
portional measurement:  1,  consummation,  return:  8,  accumulation  of 
forms:  9,  cementation,  restoration:  10  aggregation,  reforming  power. 

Excepting  number  twenty,  which  is  drawn  from  number  ten  by 
the  dual  O*"!2?i>,  20,  all  decuple  numbers,  from  30  to  90  are  formed 
from  the  plural  of  the  primitive  number;  in  this  manner:  30,  DT^>E7: 
40,  D^yJlX:  50,  B-EttH:  60,  D*BN&:  70,3*222?:  80,D^72U:  90,  C"5?2?n. 
So  that  each  decuple  number  is  only  the  complement  of  its  radical 
number. 


tt,  one  hundred.    The  name  of  this  number  Indicates  an 
extension  produced   by  the  desire  to  be   extended,   to  be  manifested. 


COSMOGONY  OF   MOSES  155 

5.    And-thev-were  all-the-  5.     Et-ils-furent  tous-les- 

days  (manifested  lights)  of  jours     (les     manifestations 

Adam     (collective    man)  phenomeniques)      dM  dam 

which-he-lived-in,  nine  hun-  (Thomme    universel)    qu'il- 

dreds    of   revolving-change;  exista,    neuf    centaines    de- 

and-thirty    of-r evolving  mutatio n-temporelle,   et- 

change;  and-he-deceased.  trois-decuple    de-mutation; 

et-il-passa. 


The  root  of  this  word  mx,  literally  desire,  is  here  governed  by 
the  sign  of  exterior  action  tt.  One  finds  the  Arabic  1U  expressing 
to  extend  and  to  dilate.  In  nearly  all  the  tongues  of  Asia,  mah 
signifies  great. 

^jbx,  one  thousand.  That  is  to  say,  a  very  high,  very  strong  and 
very  powerful  principle.  It  is  the  name  of  the  first  letter  of  the 
alphabet,  X. 

v.  4.  H3E7 ,  revolving-change. . . .  I  now  return  to  this  word 
which  the  length  of  the  preceding  note  forced  me  to  slight.  The  Hel- 
lenists, and  Saint  Jerome  following  these  unreliable  masters,  have 
rendered  it  by  ITOJ,  "annus",  a  year.  But  they  have,  as  is  their 
custom,  restricted  what. was  taken  in  a  broad  sense,  and  applied  to 
a  particular  revolution,  that  which  was  applicable  to  an  universal, 
ontological  revolution.  I  have  already  spoken  of  this  word  in  v.  14. 
Ch.  I.  Its  root  is  \S  which  we  have  just  now  seen  to  be  that  of 
number  two  and  containing  every  idea  of  mutation,  of  variation,  of 
passing  from  one  state  to  another.  Thus  the  word  ro  *? ,  expresses  a 
temporal  mutation,  relative  to  the  being  which  is  its  object.  The 
Hebraic  tongue  has  several  terms  for  expressing  the  idea  of  temporal 
duration.  T#  characterizes  the  same  state  continued,  an  actual  dura- 
tion; as  relation,  we  translate  it  by  still;  nn,  carries  the  idea  of 
a  beginning  of  existence,  either  in  the  order  of  things,  or  in  the 
order  of  time:  in  its  most  restricted  sense,  it  means  a  monthly  dura- 
tion: ,"i-U  is  applied  to  the  transition  of  this  same  existence,  to  a  muta- 
tion of  the  being:  that  is  to  say,  that  the  being  which  is  its  object,  is 
not  found  at  the  end  of  the  period  which  it  expresses,  at  the  same 
point  or  in  the  same  state  that  it  was  at  its  beginning:  in  the  more 
restricted  sense,  it  is  the  space  of  a  year:  finally,  the  last  of  these 
terms  is  -1C,  which  should  mean  every  revolution  which  replaces  the 
being  in  its  original  state.  These  divers  periods,  always  relative  to 
the  being  to  which  they  are  applied,  can  mean  the  most  limited  dura- 


156        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


6.  Wa-ihi-Sheth  hamesh 
shanim  w-math  shanah  wa- 
ioled  2Enosh. 


7.     Wa-ihi    Sheth   aharei     - 
holijd-o-aeth-^Enosh      shebah 
shanim  w'shemoneh    m*6th 
shanah   wa-ioled   banim  w-  « j-yjn?|  Q»^  "T^VI 

banoth.  "T     v   ' 


8.  Wa-ihiou  chol-i  m  e  1 
Sheth  s  h  e  t  h  1  m  heshereh 
shanah,  w-theshah 
shanah,  wa-iamoth. 


9.    Wa-ihi  ^Enosh  thishe-     1^*5  rW  D*l^'fl  t^'lAK  »PT*1 
him    shanah    wa-ioled   aeth- 
Keinan. 


tion,  as  well  as  that  whose  limits  escape  the  human  understanding. 
The  numbers  one,  two  and  seven  take  their  roots  from  this. 

It  is  because  the  ancient  periods  have  been  restricted  and  par- 
ticularized, that  one  has  so  badly  understood  the  Sethites  of  the 
Egyptians,  the  Saros  of  the  Chaldeans,  the  Yogas  of  the  Brahmans, 
etc. 

r*J21  C*3D,  sons  and-daughters One  ought  not  to  think  that 

the  root  p,  from  which  these  two  words  are  derived,  is  limited  to  ex- 
pressing a  son.  It  is  an  emanation,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively, 
a  generative  extension,  a  formation  of  any  sort  whatever. 

v.  5.    niTI,  and-he-deceased This  is  the  verbni?2,  in  which  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


157 


6.  And-he-lived,     Sheth, 
five  revolving-changes  and- 
o  n  e-hundred    of-revolving- 
change;      an  d-h  e-begat 
jEnosh  (corporeal  man). 

7.  And-he-lived,  Sheth, 
after  - 1 he-causing- him-to-be- 
get  that-same  JEnosh,  seven 
revolving-changes,  and-eight 
hundred's    o  f- revolving- 
change;   and   he-begat  sons 
and-daughters    (a    flocking 
throng  of  issued  beings). 

8.  And-they-were  all-the- 
dajs  (manifested  lights)  of- 
Sheth,  two  and-one-ten  of- 
revolving-change,     and-nine 
hundreds   of   revolving- 
change;  and-he-deceased. 


9.  And-he-lived,  Mnosh, 
nine-tens  o  f-revolving- 
change ;  and-he-begat  the- 
self  sameness  -of-Kainan 
(general  invading). 


6.  Et-il  exista,  Sheth, 
cinq    mutations    et-une-cen- 
taine     d  e-mutation-tempor- 
elle;  et-il-genera  JEnosh,  (Y 
homme  corporel). 

7.  Et-il-exista,  Sheth, 
apres-le-faire  -  enfanter-a-lui 
ce-meme-JZnosh,    sept    mu- 
tations, et-huit-centaines  de- 
mutation-temporelle ;    e  t-i  1 
genera   f ils   et-f illes    ( n  n  e 
foule  d'etres  6man6s). 


8.  Et-ils-furent  tous-les- 
jours   (les  manifestations 
phenom6niques)     de-Sheth, 
deux    et-un-decuple    de-mu- 
tation-temporelle,     e  t-neuf- 
centaines    de-mutation ;    et- 
il-passa. 

9.  E  t-i  1-exista,    JEnosh 
neuf-d6cuples     de-mutation- 
temporelle;  et-il  produisit  V 
existence-de-TTainan      ( 1'en- 
vahissement 


Chaldaic  punctuation  has  suppressed  the  sign  i,  used  in  the  future 
tense,  made  past  by  the  convertible  sign  1.  This  verb  which  has  or- 
dinarily been  translated  by  to  die,  expresses,  as  I  have  said,  a  sym- 
pathetic movement,  a  passing,  a  return  to  universal  seity.  Refer 
to  Radical  Vocabulary,  root  ntt. 

v.  6,  7  and  8.    Nothing  more  to  explain  relative  to  these  terms. 

v.  9.  P'p ,  Kainan I  have  explained  as  much  as  possible,  Kain 

and  his  brother  Sheth,  and  the  son  of  Sheth,  &nosh:  here  now  is 
this  same  J5nos7i  who  reproduces  another  Kain;  but  by  extending, 
and  as  it  were,  by  diluting  its  primitive  forces;  for  although  Kainan 


158         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

10.   Wa-ihi  .Enoshahorei    mrni*  H^in  nnK  B>u$t  »rn 

holid-6  aeth-Keinan  hamesh  ' 

heshereh  shanah  w'she- 
moneh  ma?6th  shanah :  wa- 
idled  banim  w-banoth. 


11.    Wa-i  h  1  o  u  chol-imei     DW  K^'On  8P'W  *P*"*?3 
^n6sh   hamesh   shanim   w- 
theshah      ma36th      shanah; 
wa-iamoth. 


12.  Wa-ihi  Keinan  shi- 
behim  shanah.  wa-ioled  aeth- 
Maholalid. 


13.    Wa-ihi  Keinan  ahorei     -,ni*    IT'TIH   HPT^    P/p. 
holid-o    apth-Maholalael    ar- 
bahim    shanah    w-shemoneh 
maedth  s  h  a  n  a  h,  w-i  6 1  e  d 
banim  w-banoth. 


may  be  only  the  word  Kain  to  which  Moses  has  added  the  augmenta- 
tive final  "p,  it  is  very  necessary  that  there  should  be  preserved  in 
the  posterity  of  Sheth,  the  same  nature  that  he  has  in  his  own.  It 
is  extended,  it  is  diluted,  as  I  have  said,  and  its  force  which  con- 
sisted in  a  violent  centralization,  has  diminished  in  proportion  to  its 
extent.  We  have  already  observed  this  difference  between  Henoch 
and  2Enosh,  in  v.  26  of  the  preceding  chapter. 

v.  10  and  11.     These  terms  are  all  understood. 

v.   12.  bx^rw,   Mahollael That  is   to  say,  potential  exaltation, 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


159 


10.  And-he-lived,  JEnosh 
after-the-causing-him-t  o-be- 
g  e  t      t  h  e-selfsameness-of- 
Kainan,  five  and-one-tens  of- 
revolving-change,  and-eight- 
hundreds  of-revolution ;  and- 
he-begat  sons  and-daughters 
(many  issued  offspring). 

11.  And-they-were    a  1 1- 
the-days  (manifested  lights) 
of-/Enosh,     five     revolving- 
changes,  and-nine  hundreds 
of    revolution :    a  n  d-he-de- 
ceased. 

12.  And-he-lived,  Kainan, 
seven    tens    of-revolving- 
change ;     and-he-begat     the- 
selfsameness      o  f-Mahollael 
(mighty  rising  up,   bright- 
ness). 

13.  And-he-lived,    Kain- 
an,    after-the-causing-h  i  m- 
to-beget    thsLt-same-MahoU- 
acl,    four-tens    of- revolving- 
change,  and-eight  hundreds 
of-revolution ;   and-he-begat 
sons   and-daughters    (many 
issued  offspring). 


10.  Et-il-exista,  JEnosh. 
apres-le-faire-enfanter-a-l  u  i 
ce  meme  Kainan,  cinq  et-un- 
decuple  de-mutation,  et- 
huit-centaines   de-mutation- 
temporelle;  et-il-genera  fils- 
et-filles    (une  foule  d'etres 
emanes). 

11.  Et-ils-furent    t  o  u  s- 
les-jours  ( les  manifestations 
phenomeniques)      A'ASnosh, 
cinq  mutations,  et  neuf-cen- 
taines    de-mutation-tempor- 
elle  et-il-passa. 

12.  Et-il-exista,  Kainan, 
sept   decuples   de-mutation- 
temporelle;  et-il-genera  1'ip- 
s&it&-de-Mahollael   (1'exalta- 
tion    puissance,    1  a    splen- 
deur). 

13.  Et-il-exista,  Kainan, 
apres-le-faire  e  n  f  a  n  t  e  r-a- 
lui   ce-meme   M  ah  oil  a  el 
quatre-decuples  de-mutation 
et-huit-centaines     d  e-muta- 
tion-temporelle;  et-il-genera 
fils  et-filles    (une  foule  d' 
Stres  Emanes). 


splendour,  glory.  The  root  Vn,  containing  in  itself  all  ideas  of  ex- 
altation, is  again  strengthened  by  doubling  the  final  character  V,  and 
by  the  addition  of  the  root  bx,  which  expresses  the  force  of  exhaling 
movement.  The  plastic  sign):,  is  only  there  to  cooperate  with  the 
formation  of  the  proper  name. 


v.   13   and   14.     These  terms  are  understood. 


160         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


14.  Wa-ihiou  chol-imel 
Kelnan  hesher  shanim  w- 
theshah  maBoth  shanah  :  wa* 
iamoth. 


15.  Wa-ihi  Maholalael 
hamesh  shanim  w-shishlm 
shanah  wa-ioled  arth-Iared. 


16.     Wa-ihl    Maholalael     tT^IH    nn« 
ahorel    holid-6   aeth-I  a  r  e  d 
sheloshlm  shanah  w-she- 
moneh  maeoth  shanah :  wa- 
idled  banim  w'banoth. 


17.  Wa-ihiou  chol  Ime! 
Maholalael  hamesh  w-thisha- 
him  shanah  w'shemoneh 
maadth  shanah :  wa-iamoth. 


18.    Wa-ihi    lared    shet- 

s8ha  na  h:  wa-idled 
aeth-Hanoch. 


v.  15.    IV,  Ired Here  among  the  descendants  of  Sheth  is  this 

same  Whirad,  that  we  have  seen  figuring  among  those  of  Kain;  but 
who  is  presented  now  under  a  form  more  softened.  In  losing  its 
initial  sign  y,  which  is  that  of  material  sense,  it  has  left  its  pas- 
sionate  and  excitative  ardour.  The  natural  sense  which  it  contains 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


161 


14.  And-they-were,     all- 
the-days,      (manifested 
lights)  of-Kainan,  ten  revol- 
ving-changes, and-nine  hun- 
dreds of-revolution ;  and-he- 
deceased. 

15.  And-he-lived,  Mahol- 
lael,  five  revolving-changes, 
and-six-tens     of-revolution ; 
and-he-begat     the-selfsame- 
ness-of  Ired   (the  steadfast 
one). 

16.  And-he-lived,  Mahol- 
lael,  after  the-causing-him- 
t  o-b  e  g  e  t     that-same-/red, 
three-tens    of-revolving- 
change  and-eight   hundreds 
of-revolution ;   and-he-begat 
sons   and-daughters    (many 
issued  offspring). 

17.  And-they-were,    Bli- 
the-days,     (manifested 
lights)    of  Mahollael,  five 
and-nine-tens     of-revolving- 
change  and  eight  hundreds 
of     revolution :     and-he-de- 
ceased. 

18.  And-he-lived,  Ired. 
two  and-six-tens  of-revolving 
change,  and-one-hundred  of- 
revolution  ;  and  he-begat  the- 
selfsameness-of-/7enor&  (the 
central  might,  and-also-the- 
panging  one). 


14.  Et-ils-furent,  tous- 
les-jours,  ( les  manifestations 
phenomeniques)  de-Kainan, 
dix-mutations  et   neuf  cen- 
taines    de-mutation-tempor- 
elle;  et-il-passa. 

15.  Et-il-exista,     Mohol- 
lael,  cinq  mutations  et-six- 
decuples     de-mutation-tem- 
porelle;   et-il-produisit   Tex- 
istence-dVred     (ce    qui    est 
perse>6rant  dans  son  mou- 
vement). 

16.  Et-il-exista,    Mahol- 
lael,   apres    le-faire-enfan- 
ter-a-lui      ce-m6me-7  red, 
trois-decuples     de-mutation 
et-huit-centaines      de-muta- 
tion-temporelle ;  et-il-gen6ra 
fils  et  filles    (une  foule  d' 
etres  6man6s). 

17.  Et-il-furent,  tous-les- 
jours     (les     manifestations 
phenomeniques)   d  e-Mahol- 
lael,      cinq-et-neuf-d^cuples 
de-mutation,     e  t-h  u  i  t-cen- 
taines   de-mutation-tempor- 
elle;  et-il-passa. 

18.  Et-il-exista,    Ired, 
deux  et-six-decuples  de-mu- 
tation,   et-une-centaine    de- 
mutation-temporelle ;     et-il- 
produisit      1 '  existence  -  de- 
Henoch    (la  puissance  cen- 
trale,  et  aussi  le  souffrant, 
1'angoisseux). 


is  now  that  of  perseverance,  of  steadfastness  to  follow   an   imparted 
movement.    It  is  true  that  this  movement  can  be  good  or  evil,  ascend- 


162        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


19.  Wa-ihl  Tared  ahorei 
holid-6  aeth-H  a  n  6  c  h  she- 
moneh  rna^th  shanah:  wa- 
idled  banim  w-banoth. 


7]ttrrn#  iT'piH  HnNTV 
« 


20.     Wa-ihiou  6hol-iemei- 

slTanah 

shanah:  wa-iamoth. 


T)'"»0*"*?? 


21.  Wa-ihi  Hanoch  ha- 
mesh  w'shishim  shanah  :  wa- 
idled  jeth-Methoushalah. 


»PM 


22.  Wa-ithehalledh  Ha- 
noch  aeth-ha-^lohim  ahorei 
holid-6  «th-Methoushalah, 
shelosh  maeoth  shanah;  wa- 
ioled  banim  w-banoth. 


,.,  , 
»        N 


"1*71*1 


lug  or  descending;  as  is  proved  by  the  two  verbs  springing  from  the 
root  "ill:  the  one,  ITrn  means  to  govern,  to  dominate;  the  other,  TiV, 
signifies  to  sink,  to  descend. 

v.  16  and  17.     These  terms  are  understood. 

v.  18.  Tfin,  Henoth This  name  is  presented  here  with  all  the 

force  which  it  has  in  the  posterity  of  Kain.  It  is  the  same  central 
power,  the  same  corporate  force:  but  the  posterity  of  Sheth  influenc- 
iug  the  moral  idea  which  it  contains,  can  be  considered  now  under 
the  relation  of  repentance  and  contrition;  that  is  to  say,  that  the 
pressure,  the  shock,  which  it  expresses  literally,  can  be  taken  figur- 
atively and  become  a  pang. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


163 


19.  And-he-lived,   I  red, 
after  the-causing-him-to-be- 
get  that-same-//enoc^  eight 
hundreds    o  f-r  evolving- 
change ;    and-he-begat    sons 
and-daughters    (many    is- 
sued offspring). 

20.  And-they    were,   all- 
the-days,      (manifested 
lights)  ot-Ired,  two  and-six- 
tens-of-revolving-c  h  a  a  g  e , 
and-nine  hundreds  of  revo- 
lution; and-he-deceased. 

21.  And-he-endured,  He- 
noch, five  and-six-tens  of  re- 
volving-change,    and-he-be- 
gat Methushalah,    (eager 
shaft  of  death). 

22.  And-he-trod,  Henoch, 
(in   the   steps)    of-HiM-the- 
Gods,  after  the  causing-him- 
to-beget  that-same  Methus- 
halah, three  hundreds  of-re- 
volving   change;   and-he-be- 
gat   sons    an  d-daughters 
(many  issued  offspring). 


19.  Et-il-exista,    I  red, 
apres  le-faire  enfanter-a-lui 
ce-meme-Henoch,   huit   cen- 
t  a  i  n  e  s  de-revolution  tern- 
porelle;  et-il-genera  fils  et- 
filles    ( une   f  o  u  1  e   d'etres 
emanes), 

20.  Et-ils-furent,     tous- 
les-j  ours    ( les    manifesta- 
tions    phenomeniques)      d' 
Ired,    deux     et-six-decuples 
de-mutation,     et-neuf     cen- 
taines    de-mutation-tempor- 
elle;  et-il-passa. 

21.  Et-il-exista,  Henoch, 
cinq-et-six-d6cuples  de-  mu- 
tation-temporelle     et-il-pro- 
duisit  l'existence-de-ife^OM- 
shalah,     (1'emission    de    la 
mort). 

22.  Et-il-suivit,  Henoch, 
(les   traces)    memes-de-LUi- 
les-Dieux,    apres-le-faire-en- 
f  a  n  t  e  r-a-lui  ce-meme-Me- 
thoushalah,  trois  centaines 
de-mutation-temporelle ;  et- 
il-g6n6ra  fils  et-filles   (une 
foule  d'etres  6manes). 


v.  19  and  20.    The  terms  of  these  are  understood. 


v.  21.  nbffinw,  M  ethushalah  .  .  .  It  is  no  longer  Whirad  who  is  lie- 
gotten  by  Henoch;  for,  in  this  generation,  this  same  Whirad,  changed 
to  Ired,  has  become  the  father  of  Henoch:  Methushalah,  whom  we 
have  seen  in  the  posterity  of  Kain,  Is  likewise  the  grandson  of 
Whirad.  The  change  brought  into  this  name  is  hardly  perceptible.  It 
is  always  the  root  ME,  death,  which  constitutes  its  foundation.  The 
word  nVr,  which  is  added,  signifies  literally  o  dart.  In  the  posterity 


164         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

23.  Wa-ihiou  chol  imei 
Hanofih  hamesh  w'shisMm 
shanah  w-shelosh  mseoth 
shanah. 


24.      Wa-lthehalledh    Ha- 


^Elohim. 


of  .ffain,  bxEnntt  symbolizes  toe  pttJ/  of  deatfc,  that  is  to  say,  a  death 
which  precipitates  and  devours;  whereas  in  that  of  Sheth,  nVsfintt 
characterizes  the  dart  of  death,  that  is,  a  death  "which  hurls  toward 
the  eternity  of  existence.  Thus  Moses  admits  two  kinds  of  death: 
this  is  worthy  of  notice. 

v.  22  and  23,  Tj^nm,  and-he-trod This  is  the  verb  Tjbn  of  which 

I  have  already  spoken  in  v.  8.  ch.  III.  It  is  used  here  according  to 
the  reciprocal  form  and  signifies  literally  to  be  carried  in  every 
sense;  to  go  and  come. 

This  action,  which  Moses  attributes  to  Henoch,  proves,  as  I 
have  insinuated,  that  it  ought  to  be  taken  in  a  more  moral  sense,  as 
descendant  of  Sheth,  rather  than  as  descendant  of  Kain.  The  num- 
ber 365,  which  is  that  of  its  temporal  and  ontological  mutations,  has 
been  noticed  by  all  allegorists. 

v.   24.13^X1,  and  nought  of -him I  have  spoken  several  times 

of  the  root  ^X,  and  I  have  also  shown  the  singular  peculiarity  that 
it  has  of  developing  ideas  most  opposed  in  appearance,  such  as  being 
and  nothingness,  of  strength  and  weakness;  etc.  But  I  think  that 
here  is  the  occasion  to  state,  that  this  surprising  peculiarity  rests 
less  in  the  root  itself,  than  in  the  object  to  which  it  is  opposed. 
Thus,  for  example,  whatever  the  thing  that  one  admits  as  existing, 
good  or  evil,  strong  or  weak,  this  root,  manifested  by  the  adverbial 


COSMOGONY  OF   MOSES  165 

23.  And-they-were,     all-  23.    Et-ils-furent,  tous-les- 
the    days     (manifested  jours     (les    manifestations 
lights)  of-Henoch,  five  and-  phenomeniques)  d.e-Henoch, 
six-tens  of-revolving-change  cinq   et-six-decuples  de-mu- 
and    three-hundreds    of-re-  tation,  et-trois  centaines  de- 
volution, mutation-temporelle. 

24.  And-he-applied-him-  24.      E  t-i  1-s'excita-a-sui- 
self-to-tread,  Henoch  (in  the  vre,  Henoch  (les  traces)  de- 
steps)     of-H  i  M-thc-Gods,  L  u  i-les-Dieux ;    et-non-etre- 
and  nought  (no  substance)  substance-de-1  u  i,    car-il-re- 
of-him ;  for-he-resumed-him,  tira-lui,    L  u  i    l'£  t  r  e-d  e  s- 
HE-the-Being-of-beings.  £tres. 


relation  ^"X,  "will  be  its  absolute  opposite.  If  the  substance  is  granted 
as  all,  ]*X  is  the  symbol  of  nothing.  If  the  substance  is  considered 
as  nothing,  ^X  is  the  symbol  of  all.  In  a  word,  "pN  characterizes  the 
absence  of  the  substance.  It  is  an  abstraction,  good  or  evil,  of  spir- 
ituality. This  is  the  origin  of  the  syllable  in,  which  we  sometimes 
use  to  change  the  signification  of  words. 

In  the  case  referred  to,  the  adverbial  relation  ]*X ,  indicates  a 
transmutation  in  the  mode  of  existence  of  Henoch  and  not  a  simple 
change  of  place,  a  removal,  as  the  translators  understand  it.  If 
Henoch  was  substance,  he  ceased  being  this  to  become  spirit.  He 
was  1]i*X  ,  in-him,  that  is  to  say,  insubstantial. 

I  should  state  here  that,  at  the  very  time  of  the  Samaritan  ver- 
sion, the  most  ancient  of  all,  and  shortly  after  the  captivity  of  Baby- 
lon, this  expression,  so  vital,  was  not  understood.  The  author  of  this 
version  substituted  for  the  Hebrew  13J*X.  the  word  '%Ptfft2%  <  and~ 
no-sign-of-him ;  adding:  i(/jf2(<\2^f  *(/VSrf  &2^f ,  for-they- 
carried-him  away,  the  angels.  The  Chaldaic  uses  the  same  word  Trrvbl 
and-no-sign-of-him.  The  Hellenists  take  a  turn  still  more  curious: 
ical  oi5x  efylffictro,  and  he  was  not  found.  And  Saint  Jerome  takes  a 
middle  course  in  saying  "et  non  apparuit"  and  he  appeared  not. 


166         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


25.    Wa-ihi  Methoushelah    D'JiWI  P2W    rf?&?inp  »IT1 
shebah  w-shemonim  shanah 
w'math  shanah:  wa-i.61ed    ~n 
aeth-Lamech. 


26.  Wa-ihi  Methoushelah  H^ln  nnx  rV?#inp 
ahorei  holid-6  seth-Lamech, 
shethaim  w-shemonim  sha- 
nah,  w-shebah  maeoth  sha- 
nah:  wa-i61ed  banim  w- 
banoth. 


27.  Wa-ihiou  dhol-ieme! 
Methoiishelah  theshah  w- 
shishim  shanah,  w-theshah 
shanah ;  wa-iamoth, 


28.  Wa-ihi  Lamedh  she- 
thim  w-shemonim  shanah  w- 
math  shanah :  wa-ioled  ben.  :  I? 


v.  25.  Tpb.  Lamedh What  I  have  said  concerning  this  per- 
sonage can  be  seen  in  v.  18,  ch.  IV.  This  Lantech  differs  from  the 
former  Lamech  only  by  the  generation  to  which  he  belongs.  He  has 
the  same  character,  but  in  another  nature.  The  former,  which  issued 
from  the  generation  of  Kain,  is  the  sixth  descendant  from  Adam;  the 
latter,  which  belongs  to  that  of  Sheth,  is  the  eighth.  The  one  has 
two  corporeal  wives,  that  is  to  say,  two  physical  faculties  which  give 
him  three  sons;  or  rather  three  cosmogonic  principles,  source  of  all 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


167 


25.  And-he-was-in-being, 
Methushalah,   seven   and- 
eight-tens    o  f- revolving- 
change,  and-one-hundred  of- 
revolution :  and-he-begat  La- 
ntech   (the   tie  of   dissolu- 
tion). 

26.  And-he-lived,  Methu- 
shalah after  the-causing- 
him-to-beget    that-same-La- 
mech,  two  and-eight-tens  of- 
revolving-change,   and-seven 
hundreds  of-revolution,  and- 
he-begat  sons  and-daughtera 
(many  issued  offspring). 

27.  And-they-were,    a  1 1- 
the  days,    (manifested 
lights)     o  f -Methushalah, 
nine  and-six-tens  of-revolv- 
ing-change,    and-nine    hun- 
dreds of-revolution:  and-he- 
ceased  (to  be  in  being). 

28.  A  n  d-h  e-lived,    Lo- 
mech,  two  and-eight-tens  of- 
revolving-change,    and-o  n  e- 
hundred  of-revolution:  and- 
he-begat   a-son    (an    issued 
offspring). 


25.  Et-il-exista,  Methou- 
shalah,   sept   et-huit-decup- 
les  de-mutation,  et-une-cen- 
taine     de-mutation-tempor- 
elle ;    et-il-produisit    1'exis- 
tence  de-Lantech    (le  noeud 
qui  arrete  la  dissolution;. 

26.  Et-il-exista,  Methou- 
shalah,  apres-le-faire-enfan- 
ter-a-lui  ce-m  e  m  e-Lamech, 
deux  et-huit-decuples  de-mu- 
tation, et-sept  centaines  de- 
mutation-temporelle,    e  t-i  1- 
genera  f ils  e  t-f  i  1 1  e  s  ( une 
foule  d'etres  eman^s). 

27.  Et-ils-furent,  tous-les- 
jours,     (les    manifestations 
phenomeniques)  de  Methou- 
shalah,  neuf  et-six-d6cuples 
de-mutation ;  et-n  e  u  f  cen- 
taines   de-mutation-tempor- 
elle:  et-il-passa. 

28.  Et-il-exista,  Lantech, 
deux  et-huit-decuples  de-mu- 
tation,   et-une-centaine    de- 
mutation-temporelle :     et-il- 
g  6  n  6  r  a   un-f ils    ( un   etre 


fertility,  of  all  prosperity,  of  all  power  upon  the  earth:  the  other,  left 
only  one  son,  who  saw  mankind  finish  and  begin  again. 

v.  26,  27  and  28.    These  terms  are  understood. 

v.  29.     r?2,  Noah or  Noe,  as  it  has  been  vulgarly  written  fol- 
low ing  the  orthography  of  the  Hellenist  translators.    The  root  from 


168         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


29.  Wa-ikkera  seth-sham- 
6  Noah,  1'aemor  zeh  ijiahome- 
nou  mi.mahod.enou,  w-me- 
whitzebon  iadeinou  min-ha- 
adamah  asher  aerorha 
IHOAH. 


WOTP 
PTnN  "ItPN  nO"lNrr?  0 


30.  Wa-ihl  Lamech  ahor- 
ei  holid-6  aeth-ben,  hamesh 
w-thMiehlm  shanah  wa-ha- 
mesh  mseoth  shanah  :  wa- 
idled  banlm  w-ban6th. 


1tt'l 


which  this  important  name  comes,  is  composed  of  the  sign  of  pro- 
duced being  X  image  of  reflected  existence,  and  the  sign  of  the  effort 
of  Nature  n,  which  gives  birth  to  vital  equilibrium,  to  existence.  This 
root  offers  the  idea  of  that  perfect  repose,  which,  for  a  thing  long 
agitated  in  opposed  directions,  results  in  that  state  of  equilibrium 
where  it  dwells  immobile. 

Nearly  all  the  tongues  of  the  Orient  understood  this  mysterious 
expression.  The  Hebrew  and  the  Chaldaic  draw  from  it  two  verbs. 
By  the  first  Hlnj ,  one  understands,  to  lead  to  the  end,  to  guide  toward 
the  place  of  repose;  by  the  second,  X1J,  to  repose,  to  rest  tranquil,  to 
te  in  a  state  of  peace,  of  calm,  of  perfect  bliss.  It  is  from  the  latter, 
that  the  name  of  the  cosmogonic  personage  who  saw  the  end  of  the 
•world  and  its  renewal,  is  derived.  It  is  the  emblem  of  the  repose  of 
elementary  existence,  the  sleep  of  Nature. 

13En3*  ~T ,  t his  will-release  us Moses  rarely  forgets  to  explain 

the  substantive  by  the  verb,  or  the  verb  by  the  substantive:  this  can- 
not be  repeated  too  often,  for  it  is  the  seal  of  his  style.  The  Samar- 
itan translator,  far  from  seeking  to  follow  this  course,  so  simple  and 
so  expressive,  nearly  always  swerves  from  it.  In  this  instance  for 


COSMOGONY   OF   MOSES 


169 


29.  And-he-assigned-f  o  r 
name-to-him,  XoaJi;  thus-de- 
claring-his-thought :      this 
will  release-us   (will  lessen, 
relieve    us)     from-the-hard- 
working-our,   and-from-the- 
great-natural-hindrance    of- 
the-hands-ours,     because-of- 
the-adamic    ( elementary 
ground)     which     he-has- 
eursed-it,  IHOAH. 

30.  A  n  d-h  e-lived,     La- 
mech,    a  f  t  e  r-t  h  e-causing- 
him-to-beget  a-son,  five  and- 
nine-t  ens  of-r  evolving- 
change,    and-five    hundreds 
of-revolution,   and-hfi-begat 
sons   and-daughters    (many 
issued  offspring). 


29.  Et-il-assigna  ce-nom- 
meme-a-lui,   Noah,  pour-de- 
clarer-sa-pensee      (disant)  : 
celui-ci  reposera-nous  (nous 
allegera,    nous    soulagera) 
de-ce-qui-constitue    I'reuvre- 
notre     et-de-ce-qui-fait-Fob- 
stacle-physique  des-mains-k 
nous,    a-cause    de-la    terre- 
adamique,  laquelle  il-a-mau- 
dite-elle,  IHOAH. 

30.  Et-il-exista,  Lantech, 
apres-le-faire-enfanter-a-lui 
ce-fils  cinq  et-neuf-decuples- 
de-mutation-temporelle,    et- 
cinq  centaines  de-mutation, 
et-il-genera     f  i  1  s     et-filles 
(une  foule  d'etres  emanes). 


example,  instead  of  the  verb  C'rO,  which  Moses  uses  to  explain  the 
meaning  that  he  wishes  to  give  to  the  name  of  Noah,  and  which  the 
Samaritan  could  very  well  render  by  the  analogue  ^*J  Jlq^J .  one  finds 

support,  to  moderate,  to  temper. 
This  proves  how  little  the  Hebraic  text  was  already  felt  at  this 
remote  time,  and  how   the  meaning  of  the  words  was  altered. 

v.  30  and  31.     These  terms  are  understood. 

v.  32.  r^rVp,  a-son  of-five This  should  be  observed.  In  v. 

28,  Moses  says  that  Lamech  begat  a  son,  p  ;  that  is,  produced  an 
offspring;  for  we  shall  see  later  on  that  the  veritable  signification  of 
this  word  is  here;  in  v.  29,  he  names  this  sonfO,  Noah,  that  is  to 
say,  the  sleep  of  nature,  the  repose  of  existence;  and  now  he  says 
that  he  was  a-son  of-five  hundred-fold  of-revolving-change.  To  be- 
lieve that  Moses  had  wished  to  indicate  by  that,  simply  the  age  of 
Noah,  is  to  misinterpret  his  genius. 

I  invite  the  reader  to  observe  that  Adam,  universal  man,  in  the 
beginning  of  things,  begat  three  sons:  Kain,  Habel  and  Sheth;  that 


170         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
31.      W-lhl    chol-imei-Le-     D' 


shanah  :  wa-iamoth. 


now,  tfoofc,  -who  represents  the  repose  of  existence,  in  the  waning  of 
things,  begat  Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth.  I  have  earnestly  endeavoured 
to  make  the  true  signification  of  the  names  of  the  children  of  Adam 
understood;  I  shall  now  make  the  same  efforts  with  respect  to  those 
of  Noah. 

CT0,  Shem The  sign  of  relative  duration  and  movement  which 

is  connected  here,  and  the  sign  of  exterior  action  used  as  final  col- 
lective sign,  compose  a  root  \vhich  produces  the  idea  of  that  which 
is  distinguished  exteriorly  by  its  elevation,  its  splendour,  its  own 
dignity.  It  is,  in  its  most  restricted  acceptation,  the  proper  name  of 
a  thing,  the  particular  designation  of  a  remarkable  place,  or  of  a 
remote  time;  it  Is  the  mark,  the  sign  by  which  they  are  recognized; 
it  is  the  renown,  the  splendour,  the  glory  which  is  attached  to  them. 
In  its  broadest  acceptation,  it  is  ethereal  space,  the  empyrean,  the 
heavens,  and  even  GOD,  that  one  finds  designated  by  this  singular 
word,  in  Hebrew,  as  well  as  in  Samaritan,  in  Chaldaic  or  in  Syriac. 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  choose,  among  so  many  significations, 
that  which  is  most  consistent  with  the  son  of  Noah.  Nevertheless 
one  can  without  erring,  translate  it  by  the  words,  the  sublime,  the 
splendid,  the  radiant,  etc. 

CH,  Ham This  name  is  on  the  whole,  the  opposite  of  that 

of  Shem.  The  sign  n  which  constitutes  it,  recalls  all  ideas  of  effort, 
of  obstacle,  of  fatigue,  of  travail.  The  root  which  results  from  its 
union  with  the  sign  of  exterior  action,  employed  as  collective,  pre- 
sents a  bending,  a  dejection,  a  thing  which  inclines  toward  the  lower 
parts:  it  is  the  heat  which  follows  a  sharp  compression:  it  is  the  hid- 
den fire  of  nature:  it  is  the  warmth  which  accompanies  the  rays  of 
the  sun;  it  is  the  dark  colour,  the  blackness,  which  results  from  their 
action;  it  is  finally,  in  the  broadest  sense,  the  sun  itself  considered  as 
the  cause  of  heat  and  of  torrefaction. 

When  the  name  of  Ham  is  presented  alone  and  in  an  absolute 
sense,  it  can,  to  a  certain  point,  be  taken  in  a  good  sense,  since  It 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  171 

31.  And-they-were,  all-  31.  Et-ils-furent,  tous- 
the-days  (periodical  lights)  les-jours,  (les  manifesta- 
of-Lamech,  seven  and-seven-  tions  phenomeniques)  de- 
tens  o  f-revolving-change,  Lantech,  sept  et-sept-decup- 
and-seven  hundreds  of-revo-  les  de-mutation-temporelle ; 
lution:  and-he-ceased.  et-sept  centuples  de-muta- 
tion: et-il-passa. 


expresses  the  effect  of  the  sun  upon  inferior  bodies;  but  if  one  only 
sees  in  it  the  opposite  of  Shem,  it  offers  only  sinister  ideas.  If 
Shem  is  the  sublime,  the  superior,  Ham  is  the  abased,  the  inferior; 
so  if  the  former  is  the  radiant,  the  exalted,  the  infinite;  the  latter 
is  the  obscure,  the  bending,  the  limited,  etc. 

nc\  Japheth....  This  name  holds  a  sort  of  medium  between 
those  of  Shem  and  Ham,  and  partakes  of  their  good  or  evil  qualities 
without  having  them  in  itself.  It  signifies,  in  a  generic  sense,  ma- 
terial extent,  indefinite  space:  in  a  more  restricted  sense,  latitude. 
The  rootnc,  from  which  it  comes,  contains  every  idea  of  expansion, 
of  facility  to  extend,  to  allow  itself  to  be  penetrated;  every  solution, 
every  divisibility,  every  simplification.  It  is  governed  by  the  sign  of 
potential  manifestation  *,  which  adds  to  its  force  and  universalizes  it. 

This  is  all  that  I  can  say  at  this  morr-ent,  pertaining  to  the  three 
symbolic  personages,  who,  emanated  from  Noah,  the  repose  of  Nature, 
survive  the  ruin  of  the  world  through  the  inaccessible  shelter  which 
their  father  gives  them,  the  narrative  of  which  we  shall  hear  present- 
ly. It  is  possible,  notwithstanding  all  the  etymological  light  which 
I  have  tried  to  throw  upon  them,  that  the  reader  may  still  find  many 
obscurities  in  the  hieroglyphic  sense  of  their  names:  I  do  not  deny 
that  they  are  there  and  many  of  them;  but  if  he  is  sincerely  earnest 
in  penetrating  these  ancient  mysteries,  toward  which  Moses  has 
traced  sure  routes,  although  ignorance  and  prejudice  even  more  than 
time,  have  covered  them  with  obstacles,  he  must  not  become  dis- 
couraged. Let  him  compare  diligently,  the  three  sons  of  Adam  with 
those  of  Noah,  and  he  will  find  in  the  comparison,  analogies  which 
will  serve  to  fix  his  ideas. 

The  first  production  of  Adam,  after  his  fall,  is  Kain;  the  second, 
Habel;  the  third,  Sheth. 


172         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


32.    Wa-lhl  Noah  ben-ha-     ^  jrj^p  JPDPrp  TO 
mesh    maedth    shanah,    wa- 
ioled  Noah  ^th-Shem,  seth-     ' 
Ham  w'aeth-Japheth. 


Moses,  for  very  strong  reasons,  inverted  the  order  of  similitudes 
of  the  productions  of  Noah.  Shem,  whom  he  names  the  first,  in  this 
instance,  corresponds  with  Habel  whom  he  has  named  second  in  the 
other;  Ham,  whom  he  names  second,  corresponds  with  Kain.  whom 
he  has  named  first;  Japheth,  who  corresponds  with  Sheth  preserves 
with  him  the  same  rank. 

It  is  without  doubt  very  difficult  to  know  what  Moses  has  con- 
cealed under  the  symbolic  names  of  Kain,  Habel  and  Sheth:  but  if 
one  wishes  to  admit  that  this  may  be  the  three  constituent  prin- 
ciples of  the  being  called  Adam,  that  is  to  say,  the  developed,  or  de- 
composed triad  of  that  collective  unity,  he  will  soon  perceive  that 
the  symbolic  names  of  Ham,  Shem  and  Japheth,  are  the  constituted 
principles  of  the  being  called  Noah,  and  that  these  cosmogonic  per- 


COSMOGONY  OP  MOSES 


173 


32.  And-he-was,  Noah, 
(nature's  rest)  a-son  of- five 
hundred-fold  o  f-revolving- 
change :  a  n  d-he-begat,  he- 
Noah,  the-selfsameness-of- 
Shem,  of-Ham,  and-of-</ap- 
heth  (that  is  to  say,  the 
self-existing  of  what  is  lofty 
and  bright,  of  what  is 
gloomy,  curved  and  warm, 
and  of  what  is  extended  and 
wide). 


32.  Et-il-fut  Noah  (lere- 
pos  de  la  nature  elemen- 
taire)  fils  de-cinq  centuples 
de-mutation-temporelle :  et- 
il-produisit,  lui-Noah,  Fexis- 
tence  de-8hcm,  celle-de-Ham 
et-celle-de-Japhcth  (c'est-a- 
dire,  Pipseite  de  ce  qui  est 
elev6  et  brillant,  de  ce  qui 
est  courbe  et  chaud,  et  de  ce 
qui  est  etendu). 


sonages   are   related  one   to   the   other,   in  the   same   manner   as   the 
effect  is  related  to  its  cause. 

One  ought  not  to  forget  besides,  what  I  have  said  pertaining  to 
the  extreme  importance  that  the  ancients  attach  to  proper  names;  it 
cannot  be  given  too  great  attention.  Notwithstanding  the  length  of 
my  notes  and  even  the  numerous  repetitions  into  which  I  purposely 
fall,  it  will  always  be  well  for  the  reader  to  consult  the  Radical 
Vocabulary  for  the  signification  of  their  roots. 


174        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


SEPHER  BER^3SHITH  *  n^X"13   1DD 

W. 


1     Wa-ihi   chi-hehel    ha-     -ty  ^  Dl^H  "TOT? 


la-hem. 


f  because-of-being-dissolved  ----  The  beginning  of  this 
chapter  is  difficult  and  profoundly  mysterious.  The  Hellenists  for 
fear  no  doubt  of  saying  too  much,  say  nothing  about  it;  for  it  would 
otherwise  be  inconceivable,  that  they  should  have  forgotten  so  soon 
the  collusion  of  Adam,  to  which  Moses  makes  so  direct  a  referemce. 
However  it  may  be,  these  translators  render  the  radical  verb  bin, 
which  the  hierographic  writer  uses  on  this  occasion  by  the  nominal 
passive  bnn,  as  fofcrro,  they  began;  not  understanding,  or  not  -wishing 
to  understand,  what  connection  the  fall  of  Adam  can  have  with  the 
generation  of  daughters,  referred  to  hereafter. 

But  the  verb  bin,  has  never  signified  precisely  to  begin:  it  is 
always,  in  what  ever  relation  one  considers  it,  the  expression  of 
violent  effort,  of  distention,  of  writhing,  which  brings  about  solution 
or  dissolution.  The  root  bn  from  which  it  comes,  contains  the  idea 
of  an  unknown  force  which  destroys  the  ties  of  the  body,  by  stretch- 
ing them,  breaking  them,  reducing  them  to  shreds,  or  dissolving  and 
loosening  them  to  excess.  It  is  true  that  the  verb  in  question  can 
present  sometimes  the  idea  of  an  opening,  by  extension  of  the  idea  of 
solution,  but  it  is  in  the  same  manner  that  it  has  also  expressed  the 
idea  of  wound,  of  weakness,  of  laceration,  of  pain  in  bringing  forth, 
etc. 

It  is  in  taking  figuratively  the  idea  of  dissolution,  or  of  relaxa- 
tion, that  one  has  drawn  from  this  root  the  idea  of  profanation  and 
of  prostitution,  to  which  Moses  appears  to  make  allusion  in  this 
instance. 


1,  that-daughters  ----  The  conjunctive  article  1,  when  it  joins 
the  noun  or  the  verb  which  it  inflects,  to  the  antecedent  member  of 
the  phrase,  is  perfectly  expressed  by  the  conjunction  that. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  175 

GENESIS  VI.  COSMOGONIE  VI. 


1.     Now-it-was    (it  came  1.     Or-il-fut    (il  advint) 

to    pass)     because-of-being-  a-cause-de     s'etre-     dissous 

dissolved    (dissolute,  loose)  (dissolu,  profane)  Adam  (Y 

Adam   (collective  man)   by-  homme    universel)     selon-P 

multiplying  on-the-face  of-  action-de-multiplier    sur-la- 

the-adamic,     that-daughters  terre-adamique,    que-des-fil- 

( corporeities )     were-plenti-  les  (des  formes  corporelles) 

full  y-begotten    unto-them  furent-abondammenit-eng«n- 

(Adam).  drees  a-eux   (Adam). 


The  root  "p ,  from  which  comes  the  word  n2,  irregular  feminine 
of  the  masculine  "p  a  son,  signifies  in  general,  an  emanation,  a  forma- 
tion, any  edification  whatsoever.  The  paternal  sign  « ,  hieroglyphic 
symbol  of  creative  action,  united  to  that  of  produced  being  "j,  leaves 
no  doubt  in  this  respect.  Thus  the  plural  word  ITUD ,  which  in  a 
restricted  sense  would  mean  simply,  daughters,  taken  in  a  figurative 
sense  designates  corporations,  assemblages,  corporeal  forms,  corpore- 
ities, etc. 

TiV",  were-plentifully-begotten This  is  the  compound  ra- 
dical verb  Tib*  or  mV,  used  in  the  intensive  form,  passive  movement, 
past  tense.  The  Hellenists  have  evaded  its  force,  which  could  not 
agree  with  the  insignificant  meaning  that  they  had  given  to  the  word 
bnn.  Furthermore,  I  must  say,  as  much  for  their  exoneration  as  for 
that  of  Saint  Jerome  who  copied  them,  that  already  at  the  time  when 
the  Hebrew  text  was  translated  into  Samaritan,  the  beginning  of  this 
chapter  experienced  great  difficulties.  What  proves  this  is,  that  not 
only  in  this  instance,  has  the  nominal  passive  Vnn  been  replaced  by 
the  active  ^(^** *,  which,  being  derived  from  the  verb  Tnir .  signifies 
only  to  reach  out,  to  take  possession  of;  but,  for  the  important  words 
C1X  and  n~-,X  Adam,  universal  man,  and  Adamah,  elementary  earth, 
were  substituted  ^****^7ft  •  -^nosn-  corporeal  man,  and  ^3(V^& 
Arwhah,  earth,  properly  so-called. 

All  these  oversights  conform  more  and  more  with  what  I  have 


176         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


2.     Wa-iraofi  ben  el  ha-     ntt:rn# 
^Elohlm    seth-b  e  n  6  t  h    ha- 

Adam    chi-toboth    hennah,     «#  1nP'5  ™D  rOB-3 
wa-ikkehou   la-hem    nashim 
midhol  asher  bhaharoti. 


always  advanced  regarding  the  loss  of  the  Hebraic  tongue.  There 
•was  no  means  for  anyone  to  doubt  that  the  words  C~N  and  ETON  were 
synonyms  in  the  idiom  of  Moses,  unless  to  pretend  against  all  reason 
and  all  likelihood. 

v.   2.    ^JD ,   t  he-sons I   have  just  explained   the   root  of  this 

word.  These  sons  of  the  Divinity,  that  have  so  perplexed  the  savants, 
are  -what  the  gnostics  understood  by  their  &ons:  that  is  to  say, 
emanated  beings.  The  root  "jlX,  of  which  I  have  already  spoken  sev- 
eral times  and  from  which  come,  without  any  addition,  the  &ons  of 
the  gnostics,  exists  in  the  Hebrew  word  p ,  but  contracted  and  ruled 
by  the  paternal  sign  3,  in  this  manner  "jX'2. 

D^riVxn,  of  HIM-* Tie-Gods This  expression  of  Moses,  upon  which 

many  commentaries  have  been  written,  had  already  alarmed  the 
Samaritan  translator,  who,  no  longer  understanding  the  moral  sense 
of  the  word  "02,  and  not  wishing  to  give  children  to  the  Being  of  be- 
ings, had  distorted  the  text  and  replaced  D\lbN  by  ^(/jf  jj^^*** 
Now,  this  word  which  is  derived  from  the  verb  Bi/B ,  to  dominate, 
instead  of  having  any  bearing  upon  the  Divinity,  designates  only 
potentates  or  sultans.  It  was  getting  around  the  difficulty  and  not 
solving  it;  for,  how  can  one  imagine  that  Moses  had  abruptly  changed 
the  meaning  of  a  Sacred  Name  which  he  had  constantly  given  to 
GOD,  to  apply  it  to  sultans  f 

The  author  of  the  Chaldaic  targum  has  fallen  into  the  same  error 
and  seems  to  have  gone  to  extremes.    Here  is  its  entire  phrase: 
:  KEJX  nJD  n-  K"3iai  ^D  imi         And-they-looked-upon,    the-sons    of-the 
-chief s-of-the-multitudes,    those-daught- 
ers  ot-Anosha  (corporeal  man). 

In  consideration  of  this  it  is  obvious  that  the  Hellenists  had  no 
need  of  efforts  to  veil  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Sepher;  they 
had  only  to  follow  the  path  which  was  traced  for  them.  An  aston- 
ishing thing  is,  that  they  dared  not  however,  insult  the  text  in  this 
passage,  they  say:ol  fool  roS  Qfov,  the  sons  of  GOD. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES                     177 

2.  And-they-did-observe,  2.  Et-ils-considererent,  les- 
t  he-sons,  (spiritual  off-  fils-(  emanations  spirituel- 
spring)  of-H  i  M-the-G  o  d  s,  les)  de-LUi-les-Dieux,  ces- 
those-daujjhters  (corporeit-  filles  (ces  memes  formes 
ies)  of- Adam;  that  fair  they-  corporelles)  d'Adam,  que 
were:  and-they  took  for-  bonnes  elles-etaient :  et-ils- 
them  corporeal-mates  (nat-  prirent  pour-eux  des-epou- 
ural  faculties)  from-every-  ses-corporelles  (des  facul- 
one  whom  they-liked-the-  tes  physiques)  de-toutes  eel- 
best,  les  qu'ils  cherirent-le-plus. 


,  corporeal-mates. . . .  Moses  does  not  here  use  the  word  nENf 
which  being  derived  as  we  have  seen  from  the  substantive  IT'S  in- 
tellectual man,  should  characterize  figuratively,  intellectual  faculties, 
but  the  word  ZT3,  which,  formed  by  ellipsis  of  the  word  £uX,  cor- 
poreal man,  indicates  physical  faculties.  These  are  the  modifications 
v;hich  must  be  grasped  in  reading  a  writer  so  precise,  so  exact  as 
Moses.  The  more  one  studies  him  the  more  one  is  assured  that  he 
possessed  to  an  eminent  degree,  the  Egyptian  tongue  in  which  he 
had  been  brought  up.  It  is  incredible  with  what  infinite  art,  he  re- 
conciles the  three  meanings  in  his  narration,  with  what  force  he  at- 
taches the  literal  to  the  figurative,  and  the  hieroglyphic  to  the  literal. 
The  tongues  in  which  I  can  make  myself  understood,  are  wholly  in- 
capable of  rendering  this  profound  calculation,  this  extraordinary 
labour  by  means  of  which  he  triples  the  thought,  by  vesting  it  with 
an  expression  which,  although  unique,  is  presented  under  three 
forms. 

V)H2  "rtZ?X,  whom-they-liked-the-best . . . .  This  verb  comes  from  the 
toot  ":n,  which  depicts  a  focus  from  which  the  heat  escapes  by  ra- 
diation. The  sign  of  interior  action  2,  which  governs  this  root  gives 
it  the  figurative  expression  of  a  vehement  passion  which  is  fixed 
upon  an  object. 

v.  3.    ]rr-X*>,  shall-not-diffuse This  verb  is  derived  from  the 

root  ""I,  which  is  related  to  every  idea  of  abundance  and  division,  as 
is  proved  by  its  derivatives  nvr,  to  emit,  to  spread,  to  divulge;  mj 
a  profusion,  a  prostitution;  pj  o  prodigality,  etc. 

,  by-his-decaying-quite This  important  word  has  not  been 


178         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

3.     Wa-iaomer     I  H  6  A  H 
loa-ladon  rouh-1  b'Adam,  P 
holam  b'shaggam  houa  bas-     ^v?     '^r  ^^ 
har   w'haiou    iamai-6   mean  •  pjjjjf  DHt^J[fl  UNO  1*0* 

w'hesherim  shanah. 


4.  Ha-Nephilim  haiou  b'  Qrifl  D'0*3  ON2  VH 
aretz  b'iamim  ha-hem,  w' 
gam  ahorei-chen  asher  iabo- 
aou  benei  ha-^Elohim  a3l- 
bendth  ha-Adam,  w'ialodou 
la-hem  hemmah  ha-ghibbo- 
rim  asher  me-h61am  anoshei 
ha-shem. 


comprehended  by  any  of  the  translators,  who,  forgetting  always  the 
collusion  of  Adam,  to  which  Moses  continually  alludes,  have  seen  here 
only  corporeal  man.  The  Samaritan  has  even  gone  to  the  point  of 
suppressing  the  word  C1N  universal  man.  which  embarrasses  him  in 
this  verse,  substituting  that  of  ;Enosh,  ^***J3&  ,  corporeal  man,  as 
he  has  done  in  other  instances.  The  Chaldean  has  overthrown  all  the 
ideas.  Besides,  the  verb  512?  or  rTJJE?  signifies  equally  to  decline,  to 
err,  to  degenerate.  It  is  the  latter  which,  on  this  occasion,  is  used 
as  nominal  active,  inflected  by  the  mediative  article  2 ,  and  general- 
ized by  the  collective  sign  C . 

v.  4.  2"bC3n,  then-the-Nephilites That  is  to  say,  men  dis- 
tinguished from  others  by  their  power  or  their  strength;  for  the 
giants,  yiydrra,  "gigantes",  that  the  Hellenists  and  Saint  Jerome  have 
seen  here,  have  existed  only  in  their  imagination,  at  least  if  these 
translators  have  understood  by  this,  what  the  vulgar  ordinarily  un- 
derstands, that  is,  men  of  greater  stature  than  others.  If  the  Hel- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


179 


3.  An d-he-said,  IHOAH, 
shall-not-di  f  f  use  ( lavish  *  it- 
self) the-breath-mine  (iny- 
vivifical  spirit)  unto  Adam 
(collective  man),  forever 
by-his-decaying-quite :  sinee- 
he-is  b  o  d  i  1  y-shape,  they 
K  h  a  1 1-be,  the-days  ( mani- 
fested lights)  of-him,  one- 
hundred-fold  and-two-tens 
of-revolving-change. 


£.  The  u-th&-Nephilit es 
(distinguished,  illustrious, 
noble  men)  were  in-the- 
earth  by-the-days  those :  and- 
also,  a  f  t  e  r-that-so  ( hap- 
pened )  that  the  y-were- 
come,  the-sons  (spiritual 
offspring)  of-HiM-the-Gods, 
near-the-daughters  (corpor- 
eal faculties)  of -Adam  (col- 
lective man)  and-that-they- 
had-begotten-through-t  hem 
t  h  o  s  e-very-(r  h  ib  o  r  it  es 
(mighty  men,  lords)  who- 
were  of-old-old,  corporeal- 
men  of-renown. 


3.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  non- 
pas-s'epandra     (se     prodi- 
guera)  le-souffle-mien  (mon 
esprit  vivifiant)  chez-Adam 
(1'homme  universel)  pour-P 
immensite-temporelle,  dans- 
1 '  a  c  t  e-d  e-decliner-entiere- 
ment:  puisqu'  il-est  forme- 
corporelle,     ils-seront,     les- 
jours  (les  manifestations  lu- 
mineuses)   a-lui,  un-cen- 
tuple  et-deux-decuples  de- 
mutation-temporelle. 

4.  Or,     1  e  s-Nephileens 
(les-hommes  distingues,  les 
nobles )    etaient    en-la-terre 
par-les-j  ours    ceux-lil :    et- 
aussi,    apres-qu'ainsi     (cela 
fut  arrive)   qu'ils-furent- 
venus    les-fils    (emanations 
spirituelles )     de-LUi-les 
Dieux  aupres-des-filles  (for- 
mes corporelles)  d'Arfam  (P 
homme  universel)    et-qu'ils- 
eurent-gen^re     s  e  1  o  n-e  u  x 
ceux-la-memes,    les    Ghibo- 
reens    (les    hommes    sup^r- 
ieurs,  les  heros,  les  Hyper- 
boreens )   1  e  s  q  u  e  1  s-f urent 
dans-Fimmensit6-temporelle, 
les-hommes-corporels  de-re- 
nom. 


lenists,  who,  in  other  Instances,  have  copied  the  Samaritan  transla- 
tion, had  given  attention  to  this  one,  they  would  have  seen  that 
the  word  by  which  this  translation  renders  D^Ci.  is  '2f/jf^^*f 
used  alike  in  the  Hebrew  C*12i  ,  and  which  is  placed  precisely  at  the 
end  cf  the  same  verse,  as  synonymous  epithet;  for  this  word  is  nearer 


180         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

5.     Wa-iarae,  IH6AH,  chi     DnKH  Din  H3")  'D  HliT 
rabbah  rahath  ha-Adam  b' 
arefe    w-Ahol-letaer   mahes- 
heboth  lib-6  rak  rah  dhol-  j  DT^rr^p  )H 

ha-1.6m. 


than  one  imagines  to  the  epithet  which  the  "Tircppoptoi  bear:  those 
famous  Hyperboreans,  whose  origin  has  so  troubled  the  savants. 

These  savants  had  before  them,  the  Latin  word  nobilis,  which 
comes  from  the  same  root  as  the  Hebrew  D"Vc3,  and  presents  the 
same  characters  with  the  sole  difference  of  the  b,  which,  as  in  numer- 
ous derivative  words,  has  taken  the  place  of  p,  or  of  ph.  They  have 
not  seen  that  the  Latin  word  nobilis,  having  passed  from  Asia  into 
Europe,  was  the  real  translation  of  the  word  C*bCJ;  and  that  con- 
sequently, in  the  Nephilites  of  Moses  must  be  seen,  not  giants,  nor 
men  of  colossal  stature,  but  Great  Ones;  illustrious,  distinguished  men, 
Nobles,  in  fact. 

Now  what  is  the  root  of  this  word?  It  is  be  which  always  de- 
velops the  idea  of  a  thing  apart,  distinguished,  raised  above  the 
others.  Thence  the  two  verbs  N'bs  or  ~Vc,  used  only  in  the  passive 
movement  X^En  or  ~'/Cn,  to  be  distinguished,  illustrious;  of  which  the 
continued  facultative  xVsJ  orriVcj,  becoming  distinguished,  illustrious, 
gives  us  the  plural  C^Vs  3  which  is  the  subject  of  this  note. 

Those  of  my  readers  who  know  how  much  the  word  2*^52  has  in- 
volved the  commentators,  and  who  doubt  the  justice  of  my  etymology, 
not'  conceiving  how  the  analogues  which  I  have  cited  could  have 
escaped  the  sagacity  of  the  savants,  have  only  to  open  any  Hebrew 
dictionary  to  the  articles  xbc  or  nVc,  and  they  will  see  among  others, 
2*>6e3  marvelous,  wonderful  things;  n*xbc3.  unheard-of  exploits,  as- 
tonishing things,  miracles;  nxbeJ,  a  profound  mystery,  etc. 

S*tt*2 ,  by-the-days I  have  followed  here  the  vulgar  in- 
terpretation, having  no  adequate  reason  for  changing  it;  but,  as  I 
have  already  said,  the  word  2*E*»  from  which  the  Chaldaic  punctua- 
tion has  suppressed  the  sign  *,,  can  mean  equally  days  or  seas:  so 
that  if  one  admits  this  last  signification,  the  text  will  bear,  that  the 
Nephilites,  that  is,  the  Nobles,  the  distinguished  among  men,  subdued 
at  the  same  time  the  land  and  the  seas. 


COSMOGONY  OF   MOSES                     181 

5.  And-he-did-ken,  5.  Et-il-considera, 
I  H  o  A  H,  that  increased-it-  IHOAH,  que  se  multipliait- 
self-eagerly  the-wickedness  avec -violence  la  m6chancete 
of- Adam  (collective  maD,  d'Adam  (de  1'homme  uni- 
mankind)  in-the-earth,  and-  versel,  regne  hominal)  en- 
t  h  a  t-every-conceit  (Intel-  la-terre,  et-que-toute  concep- 
lectual  operating)  from-the-  tion  (production  intellect- 
thoughts-out  of-the-heart-of-  uelle)des-pensees  selon-1  e- 
him,  diffused  evil  ail-that-  co?ur-a-lui,  £pandait  le-mal 
day  (that  whole  light's  (en  remplissait)  t  o  u  t-ce- 
manifestation).  jour  (toute  cette  mani- 
festation phe'nome'nique). 


,  the  Ohiborites. —  This  important  word  is  composed 
of  two  roots  which  usage  has  contracted,  "!*3~23.  The  first  32,  develops 
literally  the  idea  of  a  thing  placed  or  happening  above  another,  as 
a  boss,  an  eminence,  a  protuberance.  Figuratively,  it  is  an  increase 
of  glory,  strength,  honour.  The  second  "1*3,  contains  the  idea  of 
distinction,  of  splendour,  of  purification.  It  must  not  be  confused 
with  the  root  spoken  of  in  v.  I  ch.  I,  and  from  which  comes  the 
verb  X*n3  to  create.  This  latter  is  composed,  as  I  have  stated,  of 
the  signs  of  interior  action  2,  and  the  elementary  root  IN:  the  one 
now  under  consideration,  unites  to  the  same  generative  sign  3,  the 
modified  root  TiX  ,  which,  applied  particularly  to  /Ire,  develops  all 
ideas  attached  to  that  element.  It  is  from  this  that  the  following 
words  are  derived.  13  wheat,  the  grain  par  excellence;  "H*3  to  elect, 
to  choose,  to  distinguish;  1*n3,  that  which  is  white  and  pure;  "tfnS 
that  which  is  selected,  put  aside,  preferred,  etc. 

Let  us  observe  that  the  vowel  which  constitutes  this  root,  un- 
dergoing the  degradation  of  which  I  have  already  spoken  so  often, 
forms  the  verb  "1123,  to  inflame,  to  fl.ll  with  burning  ardour;  to  make 
passionate,  furious,  etc. 

We  can  infer  from  this  etymological  knowledge,  that  the  word 
D*")33  ,  by  which  Moses  explains  that  of  C*/£3 ,  and  which  perhaps  in 
his  own  time  had  begun  to  be  obsolete,  is  the  exact  translation  of 
it,  and  that  it  signifies  very  distinguished,  very  remarkable,  very 
noble  men.  The  first  root  33,  which  I  have  rendered  in  this  instance 
by  the  superlative  very,  has  been  rendered  by  the  ancient  Greeks  by 
the  adverbial  relation  inrtp  above;  the  second  root  "i*,3,  has  been  pre- 


182         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

6.  Wa-innahem,  IHOAH, 
dhi-hashah  aeth-ha-Adam,  b' 
aretz  wa-ithe-hatzeb  sel-lib- 
6. 


served  in  the  plural  B6p«oi ,  Boreans:  that  is  to  say,  the  illustrious,  the 
powerful,  the  strong,  in  short,  the  Barons:  for  the  Celtic  word  baron, 
is  the  analogue  of  the  Hebrew  ^r.DU,  -written  with  the  extensive  final 
•p;  the  Greek  word  Tirep/36p«u ,  of  which  the  savants  have  said  so  much, 
is  no  other  than  the  high,  arch-barons.  And  thus,  confusing  con- 
stantly the  name  of  a  caste  with  the  name  of  a  people,  as  they 
have  done  with  regard  to  the  Chaldeans,  these  same  savants  have 
been  greatly  troubled  to  find  the  fixed  abode  of  the  Hyperborean 
nation. 

Before  terminating  this  already  very  lengthy  article,  I  cannot 
dispense  with  stating  two  things.  The  first,  that  the  word  Ti2i, 
here  referred  to,  constitutes  the  fourth  name  that  Moses  gives  to 
man:  the  second,  that  this  hierographic  writer,  makes  this  superior 
man  descend,  by  the  union  of  divine  emanations  with  natural  forms, 
that  is  to  say,  in  other  terms,  spiritual  faculties  joined  to  physical 
faculties. 

Adam,  universal  man,  the  kingdom  of  man,  issues  in  principle 
from  the  hands  of  the  Divinity,  in  principle  male  and  female. 

The  element  from  which  he  must  draw  his  passive  nature  sub- 
stance, is  named  after  him,  adamah.  Soon  the  divine  spirit  is  united 
to  his  elementary  spirit:  he  passes  from  power  into  action.  The 
Being  of  beings  individualizes  him  by  detaching  from  him  his  effici- 
ent volitive  faculty  and  makes  him  thus,  free,  susceptible  of  realiz- 
ing his  own  conceptions.  Then  intellectual  man,  Aish,  exists. 

The  covetous  passion,  universal  incentive  of  elementary  nature, 
inevitably  attacks  thenceforth  this  volitive  faculty,  now  isolated  and 
free.  Aisha,  seduced  and  believing  to  take  possession  of  his  active 
nature  principle,  gives  way  to  the  natural  principle.  Intellectual 
man  is  corrupted.  His  volitive  faculty  is  changed  into  elementary 
existence,  Hewah.  Universal  man,  Adam,  is  decomposed  and  divided. 
His  unity,  passed  first  to  number  three  in  Kain,  Hotel,  and  Sheth, 


COSMOGONY   OF   MOSES  183 

6.  An  d-h  e-withdrew-in-  6.  Et-il  renonca-entiere- 
himself  (he  forsook  the  inent  (il  se  reposa  du  soin) 
care),  IHOAH,  through-  IHOAH,  a-cause-de-quoi  il- 
which  he-had-made  Adam,  avait-fait  I'ipseit6  d'Arfam 
(collective  man)  and-he  re-  (Thomme  universel)  en-la- 
pressed  (he  restrained,  terre,  et-il-se-reprima  (se 
proved  himself  severe)  unto-  comprima,  se  rendit  severe) 
the-heart-his-own-self.  au  co2ur  sien. 


goes  to  number  six  through  Kain,  and  to  number  nine  through  Sheth. 
The  corporeal  faculties  succeed  to  elementary  existence.  Corporeal 
man,  JEnosh,  appears  upon  the  eosmogonic  scene. 

In  the  meantime,  the  divine  emanations  are  united  to  the  cor- 
poreities born  of  the  dissolution  of  Adam,  and  corporeal  man  gives 
place  directly  to  superior  man,  Ohibor,  hero,  demi-god.  Very  soon 
this  Ghibor,  this  superior  man,  abandons  himself  to  evil,  and  his 
inevitable  downfall  brings  about  the  repose  of  Nature. 

Thus,  in  the  profound  thought  of  Moses,  these  four  hieroglyphic 
names  succeed  one  another:  D~lX,  universal  man,  r*N,  intellectual  man, 
T27".2K  corporeal  man,  liD3  superior  man.  And  these  four  names,  so 
different  in  form  and  in  signification,  employed  by  Moses  with  an 
art  more  than  human,  have  been  rendered  by  the  same  word  as 
synonyms! 

v.  5.  1X\  conceit....  I  have  already  explained  the  forma- 
tion of  this  difficult  and  important  word  v.  7.  ch.  II.  It  is  used  here 
as  substantive. 

pi,  diffused While  explaining  the  word  ypl,  rarefaction, 

ethereal  expansion,  v.  6.  ch.  I,  I  stated  that  the  root  pi  contained 
the  idea  of  expansion,  of  diffusion.  Moses  in  using  it  here  as  verb, 
gives  it  no  other  meaning. 

v.  6.  cnjPI,  And~he-toithdrew-in-himself . . . .  The  Christian  here- 
siarchs  who  have  rejected  the  Books  of  Moses  as  unjust  to  the  Divin- 
ity, in  claiming  them  to  be  inspired  by  the  genius  of  evil,  or  at 
least  by  an  intermediary  being,  an  JEon.,  very  different  from  the 


184         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

7.    wa-iaomer  i  H  o  A  H    oii*rrn$*  nn#  rrirr 

aemeheh  aeth-ha-Adam  asher 
barathi  me-hal  phenel  ha- 
adamah,  me-Adam  had-be- 
h  e  m  a  h  had-remesh  w'had- 
h6ph  ha-shamaim  chi-niha- 
methi  dhi-hashithim. 


Supreme  Being,  have  all  relied  upon  this  verse,  thus  translated  by 
Saint  Jerome:  "Poenituit  eum  quod  hominem  fecisset  in  terra;  et 
tactus  delore  cordis  intrinsecus." 

These  heresiarchs  found  that  it  was  not  consistent  to  say  of  the 
Most  High,  of  the  Immutable  Being,  infinitely  perfect,  that  he  re- 
pented of  a  thing  that  he  had  done,  or  that  his  heart  had  been 
grieved. 

It  would  appear  that  the  Hellenists,  having  felt  this  very  great 
inconsistency,  wished  to  palliate  it:  they  say  in  their  version,  that 
GOD  considered  the  creation  which  he  had  made  of  man  upon  the 

earth,     and     he     reflected,  icai  tve0vtt.-fi0ij  6  Okot,  Sri.  ftroi^ffev  rbv  Avdpuirov  tirl  rift 

yfr  Kal  Suvlnje-n.  But  besides,  the  Hebraic  terms  do  not  in  the  least 
present  this  meaning,  the  most  ancient  translations  which  have  been 
made  from  the  Greek,  and  which  are  in  accord  with  the  Latin,  make 
one  suspect  that  the  version  of  the  Hellenists  has  been  mutilated  In 
this  place  as  in  some  others. 

The  Chaldaic  paraphrast  takes  this  curious  turn. 
»p  ^y  ^£  ^^^2   "i«>  2ni        And-he-returned,  the  Eternal  Jaii,  in- 
rrrraa   TDK!  *r»3   mril        his-word'     because-he-had^nade     sub- 
,         stantial-man     upon-the-earth :     and-he- 

rrnwra  IWDpW  Wnh  declared-in-his^ord,  for-the-action.be- 
ing-broken  (that  he  would  break)  the- 
pride-of-them,  conformable-to-his-sover- 
eign-will. 

As  to  the  Samaritan,  the  terms  that  it  employs  are  so  obscure 
that  it  is  fitting  before  explaining  them,  to  give  the  reasons  for  my 
translation.  Indeed  how  is  it  that  so  many  savants  who  have  studied 
the  Hebraic  tongue,  and  whose  piety  must  be  shocked  by  the  mislead- 


COSMOGONY   OF   MOSES  185 

7.  Aad-he-said,  IHOAH,  I-  7.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  je- 
shall  wash-off  the-selfsame-  laverai  (j'effacerai  au  mo- 
ness  of- A  dam  (collective  yen  de  1'eau)  cette-exis- 
man)  which-I-have-created,  tence-objective-d'A  d  a  m  (!' 
from-above  the-face  of-the-  homme  universel)  que  j'ai- 
adamic:  from  Adam  (man-  cr6e,  de-dessus-la-face  de-la- 
kind)  to-the-quadruped,  the  terre-a  d  a  m  i  q  u  e;  depuis- 
creeping-kind,  the  fowl  of-  Adam  (le  regne  hominal) 
heavens :  for-I  withdrew-  (I  j  u  s  q  u'au-quadrupede,  au- 
forsook  the  care)  through-  rampant,  au-volatile  des- 
which  I-made-them.  cieux;  car  j'ai-renonce-tout- 

a-fait  (au  soin)  a-cause-de- 
quoi  j'avais-fait-eux. 


ing  meaning  given  to  this  verse  by  the  Vulgate,  have  not  sought  to 
reestablish  the  thought  of  Moses  in  its  purity?  What  was  the  mat- 
ter? It  was  only  necessary  to  recognize  the  collective  signc,  which 
this  hierographic  writer  has  added  to  the  verb,  to  give  it,  accord- 
ing to  the  intensive  form,  a  meaning  stronger  and  more  general 
which  it  would  not  have  had  otherwise.  The  addition  of  this  final 
sign  is  sufficiently  common  in  Hebrew  for  it  to  have  been  noticed; 
but,  as  I  have  already  observed,  the  folly  of  those  who  believe  them- 
selves savants,  is  seeking  afar  the  truth  which  is  before  them. 

The  final  character  c,  whether  alone,  or  accompanied  by  the 
vowel  n,  is  added  not  only  to  nouns,  but  also  to  relations  and  to 
verbs,  to  generalize  their  expression:  the  genius  of  the  Hebraic 
tongue,  goes  so  far  even  as  to  tolerate  its  addition  to  the  temporal 
modifications  of  verbs,  as  I  shall  have  occasion  to  state  in  v.  13  of 
this  chapter. 

Now,  the  verb  nli  thus  generalized  by  the  collective  sign  n 
signifies  literally,  to  renounce  wholly,  to  cease  entirely,  to  desist,  to 
lay  aside  care,  to  abandon  an  action,  a  sentiment,  etc.  The  mean- 
ing that  should  be  attached  to  this  verb,  depends  therefore  upon  the 
care,  the  sentiment,  the  action,  whose  suspension  it  Indicates.  If  it 
is  an  evil  act,  a  sin,  it  can  indeed  signify  to  repent,  as  it  can  also 
signify  to  be  consoled,  If  it  is  a  pain,  an  affliction;  but  neither  sin 
nor  pain  can  be  attributed  to  GOD;  this  verb  could  never  involve 


186         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


8.    W-Noah  matz&  hen  b'  ;  nlJT  0*^3  JfT  NVO  til] 

heinei  IHOAH. 


9.  ^leh  t  h  6-1  e  d  o  t  h 
Noah:  Noah  aish  tzaddik 
thamim  haiah  b'dorothai-6 : 
aeth-ha-^Elohim  hithhallech- 
Noah. 


10.     Wa-ioled  Noah  she-     DtTVlJ*  DUD  HB        HJ 
loshah  b  a  n  i  m :  aeth-Shem, 
aeth-Ham  waBth-Japheth. 


this  meaning  relative  to  him.  If  GOD  renounces  a  sentiment,  if  he 
ceases  entirely  from  making  a  thing,  as  the  verb  DTD,  expresses  it, 
this  sentiment  can  be  only  love,  this  action  can  be  only  the  conser- 
vation of  his  work.  Therefore,  he  does  not  repent,  as  Saint  Jerome 
says;  but  he  renounces,  he  forsakes;  and  at  the  most  is  angry. 
This  last  meaning  which  is  the  strongest  that  can  be  given  to  the 
verb  cnl3  ,  has  been  quite  generally  followed  by  the  Hebrew  writers 
subsequent  to  Moses.  But  one  must  observe  that  when  they  use 
it,  it  is  only  as  a  sequence  of  the  suspension  of  the  love  and  of  the 
conservative  action  of  the  Divinity;  for  this  meaning  is  not  inherent 
in  the  verb  in  question. 

Now  let  us  turn  to  the  Samaritan  translator.  If  any  one  had 
taken  the  trouble  to  investigate  the  obscurity  of  his  expressions, 
he  would  see  that  it  is  not  very  unlike  the  meaning  that  I  have 
given  this  verse. 

And-he-withdrew-to-him- 

wh'oT  H 


tracted  exceedingly)  un- 
to-the-heart-his-own. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


187 


8.  Rut-Noah  (nature's  8.  Mais-Noah  (le  repos 
rest),  found  grace  in- the-  de  la  nature)  trouva  grace 
eyes  of-lHOAH.  aux-yeux  de-lHOAH. 


9.  These-are   the-symbo- 
lical-p  r  o  g  e  n  i  e  s  of -Noah; 
Noah,  intellectual-  principle 
right-proving     of-universal- 
accomplishments  was-he,  in- 
the-p  e  r  i  o  d  s-his-own :    to- 
gether-with  HIM  -  the  -  Gods, 
h  e-applied-himself-t  o-walk, 
Noah. 

10.  A  n  d-h  e-d  i  d-beget, 
Noah   (nature's  rest)   three 
sons    (spiritual   offspring)  : 
t  h  e-selfsameness-o  f-S  hem 
(the  lofty,  the  bright  one) 
of -Ham  (the  down  bent,  the 
gloomy  one)  and-of-Japheth 
(the  extended  and  wide). 


9.  Celles-ci-sont  les-sym- 
boliques  -  generations     d  e- 
Noah;  Noah,  principe-intel- 
lectual      manifestant-la-jus- 
tice    des-vertus-universelleSj 
il-etait,    dans-les-ages-siens : 
les-traces-memes    de-LUi-les- 
Dieux,   il-s'appliquait-a-sui- 
vre,  Noah. 

10.  Et-il  engendra,  Noah, 
(le  repos  de  la  nature)  trois 
fils   (trois  emanations)  :  la- 
seite-de-£fcera    (Peleve,    1' 
6clatant)   de-Ham   (lecour- 
be,  le  chaud)  et-deJapheth 
(Petendu). 


And-he-reprcssed-himself This  is  to  say,  that  the  Be- 
ing of  beings  withdrew  into  his  own  heart.  The  Samaritan  transla- 
tor is  the  only  one  who  seems  to  have  felt  the  force  of  this  ex- 
pression. The  compound  DX2>,  springs  as  I  have  already  said,  from 
the  two  contracted  roots  2S-yj?.  It  is  used  in  this  case  as  verb  ac- 
cording to  the  reflexive  form. 

v.    7.     After   the    explanations   that    I    have   just   given,   there    Is 
nothing  more  to  dwell  upon  in  this  verse. 


v.   8.      PUT  but-Noah 

see  v.  29,  ch.  V. 


For   the   interpretation   of  this   word, 


v.  9.  VTlVvi3,  in-the-periods-his-own Several  Ideas  are  at- 
tached to  the  root  Th  which  forms  the  basis  of  this  word.  By  the 
first,  should  be  understood  a  circle,  an  orb;  by  the  second,  any  cir- 


188        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

11.    Wa-th  i  s  h  h  e  t  h  ha-     D'H^H  *)tf?  pNH 
aretz    li-phenei    ha-JSlohira 
wa-thimmalee    ha-aretz    ha- 


12.     Wa-iarse   ^Elohim 
seth-ha-aretz,    w'hinneh    ni-  ___     __ 

*  h  e  h  a  t  h  a  t  chi-hisheheth     ^Vl  <9   W^1  '3 
chol-basher  a3th-dardh-6  hal- 
ha-aretz. 


13.  Wa-Laom^er  ^Elohim 
1'Noah :  ketz  6hol-bashar  ba 
Tphana-1  chi-malah  ha-aretz 
hamass  mi-pheneihem :  w' 
hin-nl  mashehitham  a?th-ha- 
aretz  . 


cular  habitation  whatever,  a  sphere.  If  one  relates  the  first  of 
these  ideas  to  a  temporal  duration,  then  the  word  11"!  signifies  a 
cyclic  period,  an  age,  a  century,  a  generation.  If,  by  the  second, 
one  understands  an  inhabited  space,  then  the  same  word  designates 
a  city,  a  world,  a  universe;  for  I  must  say,  en  passant,  that  in  an- 
cient times,  every  duration,  like  every  habitation,  was  conceived 
under  the  picture  of  a  circle.  The  Arabic  words  J\*  and  »j£  f 
the  Greek  words  irAX«  or  iro\«v  ,  the  Latin  words  orbis  and  ur&s,  are 
unimpeachable  proofs. 

v.  10.     See  v.  32  ch.  V. 


v.  11.  nnwni,  And-it-was-debased  ----  The  root  nn  expresses 
an  idea  of  terror,  consternation,  sinking,  downfall;  literally  as  well 
as  figuratively.  In  this  verb  the  root  being  governed  by  the  sign 
of  relative  movement  U,  characterizes  a  continual  state  of  downfall 
and  debasement,  a  progressive  degradation. 

Dttn,  a  violent-heat  ----    This  is  the  same  root    CD  which  I  have 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


189 


11.  A  n  d-i  t-was-debased 
(depressed,    vilified)    t  he- 
earth,    in    the-face    of-HiM- 
the-Gods ;   and-it-was- filled, 
the  earth,  with-a-violent-de- 
praving-heat. 

12.  And-he-did-ken,    HE 
t  h  e-Gods,   t  he-self  sameness 
of-the-earth,   and-lo:   being- 
depraved,  because-hastened- 
to-deprave,     ever  y-bodily- 
shape,   the-way-its-own   up- 
on-the-earth. 


11.  Et-elle-se-dSprimait 
(se  ravalait,  se  degradait) 
la-terre-a-la-face    de-LUi-les- 
Dieux  et-elle-se-remplissait, 
la-t  e  r  r  e,    d'une-ardeur-de- 
plus-en-plus-degradante. 

12.  Et-il-consid6ra,  LUI- 
l'Etre-des-£tres,   Pipseite-de- 
la-terre,   et-voici :   etant-d6- 
gradee  parceque  Iaissait-d6- 
grader,    toute-forme-corpor- 
elle,  la-voie  -  propre  -  sienne, 
sur-la-terre. 


13.  And-he-said,  HE-the- 
Being-of-beings,  to-Noah 
(nature's  rest)  the-end  of- 
every  corporeal-shape  is- 
comingto-the-face-mine :  for- 
it-is  heaped,  the-earth,  with- 
a-violent-v  i  1  i  f  y  i  n  g-h  eat 
through-the-whole-face :  and 
-h  e  r  e-a  m-I  causing-to-de- 
press-quite-o  v  e  r  t  h  e-self- 
sameness-of-the-earth. 


13.  Et-il-dit,LUi-l'fi  t  r  e- 
des-4tres,  &-Noah,  (le  repos 
de  la  nature)  :  la-terme  de- 
toute  forme-corporelle  est- 
venant  a-la-face-m  i  e  n  n  e : 
car-elle-s'est-comblee,  la-ter- 
re,  d'une-ardeur  depravante, 
par-la-face-entiere :  et-voici- 
moi  Iaissant-d6grader  (avi- 
lir,  d^truire)  entierement 
I'ips^it6-terrestre. 


explained  in  v.  32  ch.  V.  Its  action  taken  in  the  bad  sense,  is 
further  increased  by  the  addition  of  the  circular  movement  D « 

v.    12.     *OVrnK,   the-way4t8-oum I   have   spoken   of   the   root 

in,  in  v.  9  of  this  chapter.  The  root  T,X,  which  is  now  joined  to 
it  by  contract! on, T,X~TI,  fixes  the  idea  and  determines  it.  Thus  the 
word  T("n,  expresses  every  circumscribed  law,  every  orbit,  every  way, 
every  line  whether  speaking  of  time  or  life,  or  speaking  of  intel- 
lectual or  physical  things. 

v.  13.    C.V3CS,  through-the-whole-face Neither  the  Hellenists 

nor  the  author  of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  have  perceived  that  the  nominal 
affix  CD,  was  used  in  this  case,  as  collective  final  and  they  have 


190         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


14.  Hdsheh  le-cha  thebath     Q^p  "iSjr'VJf  J"Qfl 
hotzei.-gopher,    kinnim    tha- 

hosheh  Jth-ha-t  h  e  b  a  h,  w'     ™TK  JJTO?)  fl?Vr 
chapharetha    a  o  t  h-ha    mi- 
baith  w'mi-houtz  b'chopher. 


connected  it  with  the  preceding  word  1UD;  associating  thus,  without 
regard  for  the  simplest  rules  of  grammar,  a  plural  with  a  singular. 
That  Saint  Jerome  should  have  made  this  mistake,  can  be  conceived; 
but  that  the  Jews,  the  Essenes,  interpreting  the  tongue  of  their  an- 
cesters,  should  not  have  better  understood  the  Sepher  of  Moses,  is 
inconceivable.  For  how  could  they  have  ignored  the  fact  that  the 
characters  D  or  CD ,  added  to  the  end  of  words,  generalized  the  mean- 
ing in  the  same  manner  and  by  the  same  grammatical  rule,  that 
the  characters  3  or  3V  increased  it? 

Did  they  not  see  written  CE'F,  all  the  day,  CEB,  a  generic  name, 
DJttK  the  whole  truth,  and  cms,  both  of  them?  Why  have  they 
been  deceived  in  the  meaning  of  the  verb  cnlJ,  of  which  I  spoke  in  v. 
6.  of  this  chapter?  Why  have  they  not  recognized  the  collective  sign 
0  ,  in  the  word  which  is  the  subject  of  this  note  and  in  the  word 
following?  I  have  already  explained  this  in  my  Introductory  Dis- 
sertation. They  did  not  wish  to  give  the  knowledge  of  their  tongue 
nor  of  their  sacred  books. 

cn*nE?£,  causing-to-depress-quite . . . .  This  is  the  same  verb 
ninE?  ,  to  disparage,  to  abase,  to  lower,  which  Moses  used  according 
to  the  positive  form,  passive  movement,  in  speaking  of  the  earth, 
in  v.  II  of  this  chapter,  and  which  he  uses  now,  according  to  the 
excitative  form,  continued  facultative,  in  speaking  of  the  Being  of 
beings.  This  observation,  that  no  translator  had  been  in  a  position 
to  make,  was  very  important.  It  leads  to  the  real  thought  of 
Moses,  which  is,  that  the  Being  of  beings  destroys  the  earth  only 
by  abandoning  it  to  the  degradation,  to  the  corruption  which  is 
its  own  work:  this  thought  is  contained  in  the  renunciation  referred 
to  in  v.  6.  It  is  needless  to  repeat  here,  how  the  ignorant  or  de- 
ceiving translators  have  seen  a  repentance  in  this  divine  renuncia- 
tion. It  is  because  they  have  not  comprehended  the  force  of  the 
collective  sign  a  ,  added  again  to  the  facultative  n*n»tt.  in  order 
to  generalize  its  action. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES                    191 

14.     Make  to-thee  a.-the-  14.    Fais  a-toi  xme-thebah 

bah    (sheltering  abode)    of-  (une  retraite,  un  refuge,  un 

an-eleinentary-growth    pre-  a  s  i  1  e  mutuel )    d'une-sub- 

serving-and-corporeal :    hoi-  stance-elementaire-conserva- 

lowed-and-r o  o  m  e d    thou-  trice:  de-canaux  (lieux  pro- 

s  h  a  1  t-m  a  k  e  the- whole-of-  pres  &  contenir )   tu-f eras  1' 

that-m  u  it  u  a  1-abode :   and-  ensemble     de-cette-retraite ; 

thou-shalt-smear  the- whole-  et-tu-lieras     (englueras)     T 

of-it  within  and-without-the  ensemble-d'elle,    par-1'inter- 

-circumference,  w  i  t  h-a-vis-  ieur    e  t-p  a  r-1'exterieur-cir- 

cous  body-like-substance.  conferenciel    avec-une-mati- 

ere-corporisante. 


v.  14.  HDn,  a-thebah It  appears  to  be  the  Samaritan  transla- 
tor who,  rendering  this  word  by  ^C^j/jfjjr  •  °  vessel,  was  the  first 
to  give  rise  to  all  the  absurd  ideas  that  this  error  has  brought  forth. 
Never  has  the  Hebrew  word  n2n  signified  a  vessel,  in  the  sense  01 
a  ship,  as  it  has  since  been  understood;  but  a  vessel  in  the  sense  of 
a  thing  destined  to  contain  and  to  preserve  another.  This  word, 
which  is  found  in  all  the  ancient  mythologies,  merits  particular  at- 
tention. It  has  so  many  significations  that  it  is  difficult  to  assign 
a  definite  one.  It  is,  on  the  one  hand,  the  symbolic  name  given  by 
the  Egyptians  to  their  sacred  city,  Theba,  considered  as  the  shelter, 
the  refuge,  the  abode  of  the  gods;  that  famous  city  whose  name 
transported  Into  Greece  to  a  straggling  village  of  Beotia,  has  sufficed 
to  immortalize  it.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  circuit,  an  orbit,  a 
globe,  a  land,  a  coffer,  an  ark,  a  world,  the  solar  system,  the  Uni- 
verse, in  fact,  that  one  imagined  contained  in  a  sort  of  vessel  called 
2*,M  :  for  I  must  recall  here  the  fact  that  the  Egyptians  did  not  give 
chariots  to  the  Sun  and  Moon  as  did  the  Greeks,  but  a  sort  of  round 
vessel.  The  vessel  of  Isis  was  no  other  than  that  theba,  that  fam- 
ous ark  which  we  are  considering;  and  it  must  be  stated,  the  very 
name  of  Paris,  of  this  city  where  are  concentrated  the  rays  of  glory 
escaped  from  a  hundred  celebrated  cities,  where  again  flourish  after 
long  darkness,  the  sciences  of  the  Egyptians,  the  Assyrians  and  the 
Greeks;  the  name  of  Paris,  I  say,  is  only  the  name  of  the  Thebes  of 
Egypt  and  of  Greece,  that  of  ancient  Syparis,  of  the  Babel  of  As- 


192         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


15.  Wzeh  asher  thahos-  vfjff  HHN 
heh  aoth-ha  shilosh  maoth 
aminah  arech  ha-thebah  ha- 
moshim  ammah  raheb-ha  w- 
shiloshlm  ammah  komath- 
ha. 


syria,  translated  into  the  tongue  of  the  Celts.  It  is  the  vessel  of 
Isis,  (Bar-Isis)  that  mysterious  ark,  which,  in  one  way  or  another, 
carries  ever  the  destinies  of  the  world,  of  which  it  is  the  symbol. 

Besides,  this  word  D1X,  whose  vast  meaning  could  not  be  ex- 
actly rendered  by  any  of  those  that  I  know,  and  which  the  wisest 
Egyptians  alone  were  in  position  to  comprehend,  given  over  to 
vulgar  Hebrews  and  following  the  proneness  of  their  gross  ideas,  was 
finally  restricted  and  corrupted  to  the  point  of  signifying  literally 
the  belly,  a  leather  bottle;  and  figuratively,  a  magic  spirit,  a  sort  of 
demon  to  which  the  Jews  attributed  the  oracles  of  their  sibyls.  But 
there  exists  in  the  Hebraic  idiom  as  well  as  in  the  neighbouring 
Idioms  from  the  same  source,  a  mass  of  expressions,  which  starting 
from  the  same  radical  principle,  show  all  its  importance. 

It  is  first  its  analogue  DN ,  developing  the  general  idea  of  fruc- 
tification, of  generation,  of  paternity;  then,  it  is  that  of  the  will,  in 
r~)DN;  that  of  love,  in  DDJ^:  it  is  all  "blossoming,  in  the  Syriac 
jLaaoj:  it  is  every  awakening,  in  the  Arabic  *-**  ;  all  immensity, 
every  unknown  place,  in  ^j*  ',  every  inner  and  profound  senti- 
ment, in  *-»'->  :  finally,  without  seeking  to  link  with  this  root  any 
other  signs  than  the  one  which  enters  into  the  composition  of  the 
word  POD,  it  is  the  action  of  being  moved  in  oneself,  of  returning, 
of  retiring  into,  of  withdrawing  to  oneself  through  desire,  in  the 
three  verbs  2ia  22'n  ,  and  D'NH :  it  is  even  the  name  of  the  Uni- 
verse, in  the  compound  ^2n.  One  cannot  see  in  all  this,  either 
the  coffer  of  the  Hellenists,  Kt/SwrAj,  or  the  chest  of  the  Latin 
translator,  "area". 

"IB^""^ ,  of-an-elementary-growth-preserving. . . .  The  Hellenists 
have  said  ^/c  ftfXwv  rerpaytavuv  of  quadrangular  wood;  Saint  Jerome 
has  said  "de  lignis  levigatis"  of  polished  wood;  the  Chaldalc 
paraphrast  C'i~np"!  *,^i?N"l  of  planks  of  cedar;  the  Samaritan  translator 
^  an  e^onV  substance,  or  of  papyrus.  None 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  193 

15.  And-thus  this  shalt-  15.  Et-c'est-ainsi  que  tu- 
thou-make  three  hundred-  feras  Ia-s6ite-d'elle :  trois 
fold  o  f-mother-measuring  centuples  de-measure-mere 
the-length  of-t  he-th  e  bah  (regulatrice)  la-longitude 
(that  sheltering  abode):  de-la.-theT)ah  (cette  retraite 
five-tens  of-measuring,  the-  sacree)  cinq-decuples  de- 
breath-of-it,  and-three-tens  mesure,  la-latitude-sienne ; 
of-measuring  the-bulk  (the  et-trois-d£cuples  de-mesure, 
whole  heap,  the  substantial-  Ia-solidit6  (la  substantial- 
ity )-of-it.  it6)  sienne. 


of  them  having  understood,  or  having  wished  to  understand,  what  the 
thebah  was;  and  being  represented  for  the  most  part  under  the 
figure  of  a  rude  bark,  it  was  impossible  that  they  should  not  fall 
into  the  grossest  errors.  I  have  already  proved  that  the  word 
yy  does  not  signify  wood.  It  should  be  known  that  it  is  not  any 
kind  of  tree  whose  use  had  been  forbidden  to  universal  man,  Adam. 
Here  is  the  hieroglyphic  composition  of  the  word  1M .  The  root 
••p  -which  developing,  in  general,  all  ideas  of  conservation,  of  pro- 
tection, of  means,  of  exterior  guarantee,  and  which,  signifying  in  a 
more  restricted  sense,  a  "body,  is  found  united  to  the  elementary 
root  IX .  The  Chaldaic  vefb  ?|!3 ,  which  comes  from  the  root 
.")  3 ,  expresses  the  action  of  closing  outwardly,  of  embodying,  of 
furnishing  with  conservatory  means,  etc. 

D*3p,  JioUotved-and-roomed. . . .  This  is  the  root  p,  used  here 
for  the  root  *j3,  so  as  to  give  more  force  to  the  expression.  I 
call  attention  to  this  so  that  one  may  see  nothing  in  it  similar 
to  17. 

"1C 22,  with-a-viscous  body-like-substance . . . .  ^£3  is  the  same  word 
as  1W,  used  above,  but  whose  force  is  now  augmented  by  the 
hieroglyphic  substitution  which  Moses  has  made  of  the  assimilative 
sign  3,  for  the  organic  sign  3. 

v.  15.  HEX,  of -mother-measuring ....  The  translator  who  has 
in  this  case  rendered  the  word  D£X ,  a  cubit,  has  made  the  same 
mistake  in  rendering  the  word  D3U  o  year;  he  has  restricted  in  de- 
termined limits  that  which  had  only  relative  limits.  Thus,  as  by 
PliE/  should  be  understood  any  duration  relative  to  the  being  of 
which  it  is  the  object,  so  in  HEX  should  be  seen  a  measure  peculiar 


194 


THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


16.  Tzohr  thahosheh  la- 
thebah  w'ael-ammah  thebale- 
nah  mi-lemahel-ha  w'phat- 
hah  ha-thebah  b'tzid-ha  tba- 
shim  thahethiim  sheniim 
w-shelishim  thahosbe-ha. 


nan1? 

ronn  nnoi  ntyp^p 
D»#>    D»nnn 


rny? 


17.  Wa-ani  hin-ni  mebia 
a>th-ha-mabboul  maim  hal- 
ha-aretz  1'shaheth-chol-bas- 
har  asher-b'6  rouah  haiijn : 
m  i-t  h  a  h  a  t  h  ha-shamaim 
chol-asher  b'aretz  igwah. 


nnnp  Dv<in  nn 


to  the  thing  in  question.  This  word  signifies  literally,  o  metropolis, 
an  original  maternal  nation,  relative  to  another;  a  thing  upon 
which  others  depend,  and  by  which  they  must  be  ruled;  a  measure, 
a  rule.  Its  root  is  CX,  which  develops  all  ideas  of  maternity.  I 
believe  it  unnecessary  to  dwell  upon  the  other  terms  which  compose 
this  verse,  inasmuch  as  the  most  important,  the  names  of  the  num- 
bers have  been  explained. 

v.   16.        "irriS,  Gathering-light The  interpretation  of  this 

facultative  by  the  Hellenists  and  the  Latin  translator  differs  widely. 
The  former  have  seen  tirurvvdywv ,  gathering,  and  the  latter  "fe- 
nestram"  a  window.  They  might  have  easily  perceived  their  error, 
if  they  had  observed  that  its  derivative  •Hi",  designated  oil;  that  is 
to  say,  that  kind  of  liquid  which  seems  to  gather  to  itself  the  lum- 
inous principle  to  shed  it  without.  The  facultative  here  referred 
to,  rests  upon  two  contracted  roots  "iXTTiS .  The  first  PI'S ,  con- 
tains the  idea  of  an  impressed  movement,  of  direction  given  to  a 
thing:  the  second  IN  or  TiX  is  the  symbol  of  elementary  principle, 
or  light. 


COSMOGONY   OF   MOSES 


195 


16.  G  a  t  h  e  r  i  n  g-light, 
shalt-thou-make    unto-t  h  e- 
thebah,  an d-a  f  t  e r-the- 
mother-measuring,   the-orbi- 
cular-extent-its-own,    as-to- 
ihe-uppermost-part-its-o\vn ; 
and-the-opening  of-that-mu- 
tual-asylum,  in-the-opposite- 
part-it  s-o  w  n,  shalt-thou- 
place :  t  h  e-lowermost-parts 
two  and-three-fold   s  h  a  1 1- 
thou-make-to-it. 

17.  And-even-I,  there- 
am-I  bringing  the  selfsame- 
ness-o  f-the-g  r  e  a  t-swelling 
(the  flood)  of- waters  upon- 
the-earth,  to  depress  (anni- 
hilate)  ever  y-bodi}y-shape 
that-has  i  n  t  o-i  t  s  e  1  f  the- 
breath  of-lives :  from-below 
t  h  e-heavens    all-that-is    in- 
the-earth,  shall-expire. 


16.  Dirigeant-la-lumiere, 
tu-feras  &-\a.-thebah,  et-selon 
-1  a-mesure-regulatrice,   Tor- 
be    (Tetendue   orbiculaire)- 
sienne,    e  n-c  e-qui-concerne- 
1  a-partie-superieure-sienne ; 
et-la   dilatation    (la   solu- 
tion, 1'ouverture),  de-cette- 
r  e  t  r  a  i  t  e    en-la-partie-op- 
posee-sienne  tu-mettras :  les- 
parties-basses,    doubles    et- 
triples,  tu-feras-a-elle. 

17.  Et-moi-m  e  m  e,    me- 
voici   faisant-venir  c  e-q  u  i- 
constitue-la-grande-intumes- 
cence  des-eaux    (le  deluge) 
sur-la-terre,     pour-deprimer 
( detruire )     toute-f  orme-cor- 
porelle    qui-a    dans-soi    le- 
souffle  des-vies :  par-en-bas 
des-cieux,  tout  ce-qui-est  en- 
la-terre  expirera. 


the-orbicular-extent-its-own  .  .  .  .  The   word    ^72*1    bj 

which  is  generally  understood,  an  orbicular  extent,  the  universe, 
signifies  in  the  most  restricted  sense,  the  globe  of  the  earth,  the 
earth,  the  terrestrial  superficies.  It  is  attached  to  the  same  root 
as  the  word  rOfl,  as  I  have  said,  and  differs  from  it  only  by  the  ex- 
pansive sign  *•?  ,  which  communicates  to  it  its  particular  movement. 


v.   17.    S  1  2  tt  n  "  n  K  ,    the-selfsameness-of-the-great-swelling  ........ 

This  is  that  universal  deluge  related  by  Moses,  that  terrible  event, 
the  memory  of  which  remains  among  all  peoples,  like  tracks  upon 
the  face  of  the  whole  earth.  If  I  should  consult  the  annals  of  the 
world,  I  could  easily  prove  that,  from  the  Chinese  to  the  Scandi- 
navians, from  the  Syrians  to  the  Iroquois,  there  does  not  exist  a 
single  people  that  has  not  had  knowledge  of  this  catastrophe;  if  I 
should  call,  in  its  turn,  natural  history  to  give  evidence,  I  could  not 


196         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


is. 

berith-1  aitha-cha-w-batha 
*  l-h  a-t  h  e  b  a  h  athah  !  w- 
banei-cha,  w-aisheth-cha  w- 
neshei-banei-cha  aitha-dha. 


take  a  single  step  without  encountering  unimpeachable  proofs  of  this 
truth  of  natural  philosophy. 

The  root  bl2  ,  composed  of  the  two  signs  3  and  H? ,  indicates  a 
force  eminently  dilating,  which,  acting  from  the  centre  to  the  cir- 
cumference, increases  the  volume  of  things,  causing  a  boiling  up,  a 
flux,  an  extraordinary  swelling.  All  the  words  which  come  from 
this  root  are  connected  with  this  idea.  Sometimes  it  is  a  crowd,  a 
tumultuous  gathering;  sometimes,  an  unusual  abundance,  an  inunda- 
tion, etc.  The  character  73  which  governs  it,  ought  to  be  considered 
on  this  occasion,  not  alone  as  sign  of  exterior  and  plastic  action; 
but  as  representing  the  word  mah,  which,  as  we  have  already  seen 
in  explaining  the  word  HXT2  one  hundred,  is  applied  to  that  which 
is  great,  to  that  which  attains  its  utmost  dimensions. 

D^ft ,  the  waters....  The  deluge  is  not  expressed  by  one  single 
word  in  Hebrew,  as  might  be  believed,  following  the  vulgar  transla- 
tions, but  by  two,  D^tt'blDft  ,  the  great  intumescence,  the  great  swel- 
ling of  the  waters.  The  hierographic  writer  clearly  indicates  here, 
that  the  divine  will  influencing  the  waters,  they  extend  and  in- 
crease in  volume  and  cause  the  universal  inundation.  Thus  the 
calculations  of  the  savants  to  determine  whether  the  actual  mass 
of  the  waters  can  be  sufficient  for  this  effect,  are  ridiculous  and 
prove  their  ignorance.  It  is  not  a  question  of  computing  whether 
the  waters  with  which  the  seas  are  filled,  can,  in  their  state  of 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  197 

18.  And-I  will-cause-to-  18.  E  t-j  e-ferai-subsister 
stand,  t  h  e-creating-might-  la-force-creatrice-mienne  en- 
mine  together-t  h  e  e,  and-  semftle-t  o  i  e  t-t  u-viendras 
thou-wilt-repair  toward-the  vers-la-i  hcb  ah,  toil  et-les- 
thebah,  thou!  and  the-sons-  fils-a-toi  (tes  productions )  et- 
of-thee  (thy  spiritual  off-  1  a-femme-intellectuelle-a-toi 
spring)  a  n  d-t  h  e-intellect-  (ta  faculte  efficiente)  et-les- 
ual-mate-thy-own  (thy  voli-  6pouses-corporelles-des-fils- 
tive  faculty)  and-the-cor-  a-toi  (leurs  facultes  physi- 
poreal-mates  of-the-sons-of-  ques)  ensemble-toi. 
thee  (their  natural  facul- 
ties) together-thee. 


depression,  cover  the  whole  earth  and  rise  above  the  highest  moun- 
tains; this  is  obviously  impossible:  but  it  is  a  question  of  knowing 
whether,  in  a  state  of  extreme  dilation  and  swelling  caused  by  the 
effect  of  a  certain  force  chained  to  the  centre  of  the  waters,  they 
would  suffice  for  this. 

v.  18.  *mD,  the-creating-might-mine It  is  very  difficult  to 

divine  how  the  Hellenists  and  Saint  Jerome,  can  see  a  pact,  a 
treaty  of  alliance,  in  a  word  so  plainly  derived  from  the  verb  N*13 , 
to  create.  The  reader  must  feel  that  it  is  more  simple  to  believe 
that  the  Being  of  beings,  ready  to  abandon  the  earth  to  the  destruc- 
tion toward  which  it  tends,  leaves  his  creative  force  to  subsist  with 
Noah,  the  repose  of  nature,  than  to  believe  that  he  establishes  some 
sort  of  contract  or  pact  between  them. 

^Z?J1 ,  and-the-corporeal-mates ....  I  would  call  attention  to  the 
fact  that  Moses  does  not  use,  to  designate  the  mates  of  the  sons 
of  Noah,  the  same  word  HEK ,  as  he  does  in  characterizing  the  in- 
tellectual mate  of  the  latter,  his  volitive  faculty. 


198         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

19.  W-mi-chol  h-hai  mi- 
chol  bashar  shenaim  mi- 
chol-thabia  ael-ha-thebah  F 
hahoioth  aitha-cha:  zachar  •  v,T  rDMI 

w-nekebah  ihiou.  '  : 


20.  Me-ha-h6ph  1'mln- 
hou,  w-min  ha-behemah  1' 
min-ha,  mi-chol  remesh  ha- 
adamah  1'mija-hou  shenaim 
mi-chol  iaboaou  selei-cha  V 
hahoioth. 


21.      W'athah    kah-le-dha 
mi-chol  maa-chol  asher  iea-       ,  , 

chel    w'assaphetha   ttlei-cha     j 7     T  T  }  ^  7- 
w'haiah  Ffiha   w-la-hem  F  • 

achelah. 


22.    Wa-iahash  Noah  6h'     "jn^  HIV 
dhol    asher    tziwah    aoth-6 
;  chen  hashah. 


v.  19.   and  20.       All  these  terms  have  been  explained. 

v.  21.    nSCX'i,   that-thou-shalt-lay  up....  The   conjunctive  ar- 

ticle 1  holds  here  the  place  of  the  relative  "irK  as  we  have  seen  it 
in  other  cases.  The  words  used  in  this  verse  offer  no  difficulty  as 
to  their  literal  and  grammatical  signification;  as  to  their  figurative 
and  hieroglyphic  meaning,  that  is  different;  a  long  note  would  be 
necessary  for  me  to  make  them  understood  and  besides,  I  should  not 
attain  this  point  if  the  reader  did  not  first  recognize  Noah,  for  upon 


COSMOGONY  OF   MOSES 


199 


19.  A  n  d-from-all-living- 
kind,    from-all-bodily-shape, 
two-twains  from-all  thou- 
s  h  a  1  t-c  a  u  s  e-to-repair  to- 
ward-the-f/zeba/i,     for-being- 
kept-existing  together-thee : 
male  and-female  they-shall- 
be. 

20.  From-t  he-flying- 
fowl    after-the-kind-its-own, 
from  the  quadrupedly-walk- 
ing-a  n  i  m  a  1  i  t  y,  after-the- 
kind-its-own,  from-all-creep- 
ing-life   elementary -e  a  r  t  fa- 
born    after-the-kind-its-own, 
two-and-two,     they-shall-re- 
pair    toward-thee    for-being 
caused-to-exist. 

21.  And-thou  !  take 
(draw)    unto-thee,   from-all 
food  which-c  a  n-feed,  that- 
t  h  o  u-shalt-lay    up-toward- 
thee :    and-it-shall-be    unto- 
t  h  e  e,  an  d-unto-them  for- 
food. 

22.  And-he-did,   Noah, 
t  h  e-s  a  m  e-all    which    had- 
w  i  s  e  1  y-prescribed   HE-the- 
Gods;  thus-doing. 


19.  Et-de-toute-existence, 
de-tout  e-forme-corporelle, 
deux-a-deux  de-tout  tu-fe- 
ras-venir  vers-la-f  heb  ah, 
af in-d'exister  ensemble-toi : 
male  et-femelle  ils-seront. 


20.  Du-genpe-volatile  se- 
lon-1'espece-s  i  e  n  n  e,  et-du- 
genre-quadrupede  selon-Tes- 
pece-sienne,  de-tout-animal- 
reptiforme  issu-de-1'element 
-adamique,   selon-l'espece-a- 
lui,  les-deux-doubles  de-tout, 
ils-viendront    p  r  e  s-d  e-t  o  i 
afin-d'y-c  o  n  s  e  r  v  e  r-l'exis- 
tence. 

21.  Et-toi!  prends  (sais- 
is,    tire)     a-toi    de-tout-ali- 
ment    q  u  i-p  e  u  t-alimenter 
que-tu-ramasseras  d  e  v  e  r  s- 
toi :  et-il-sera-a-toi,  et-a-eux 
pour  aliment. 

22.  Et-il-fit,    Noah,    le- 
semblable-tout  lequel  avait- 
sagement-prescrit      L  u  i-les 
Dieux:  ainsi-faisant. 


this  knowledge  depends  that  of  the  children  of  Adam.  In  regard 
to  them,  I  have  said  all  that  I  can  say. 

v.  22.    S23,  the-same-all I  quote  this  word  only  to  point 

out  the  use  of  the  assimilative  article  D :  an  article  which  the  trans- 
lators of  the  Sepher  have  not  recognized,  whether  through  ignorance 
or  deliberate  Intent,  in  very  essential  instances  where  it  was  quite  as 
obvious  as  it  is  here. 


200         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


SEPHER  BER^BSHITH 
Z. 


-cha  sel-ha-thebah  dhi  aoth- 
cha  ralthi  tzaddik  l'phana-1 


ba-dor  ha-zeh.  »  ?W   »H3  f^7  pHV 


2.  Mi-chol  ha-behemah 
ha-tehorah  thikkah  -  le  -  cha 
shibehah  shibehah!  alsh  w' 
aisheth-6  w-min-ha-behemah  rn'np 
asher  loS,  theorah  hiwa  shen- 
atm  Msh  w'ftUheth-6. 


T.   1.      There   is  nothing  perplexing  in  these  terms. 

y.    2.       *nE*O  ^"K ,    the-very-prinoiple    and-the-volitive-intellectual 

faculty-its   own Here   is   a   decisive   passage   which   makes   one 

of  the  most  astounding  incoherences,  one  of  the  strongest  physical 
contradictions,  disappear  from  the  narrative  of  Moses.  For  if  the 
thebah  was  really  a  boat,  as  the  translators  leave  it  to  be  under- 
stood, of  only  three  hundred  cubits  in  length,  fifty  in  breadth,  and 
thirty  in  height,  I  ask  how  the  terrestrial  and  aerial  animals,  by 
Bevens  of  the  pure  and  by  twos  of  the  impure,  could  lodge  there? 
How  could  the  provisions  necessary  for  this  innumerable  multitude 
of  famished  beasts  be  placed  therein,  both  during  all  the  time  of 
their  sojourn  in  the  boat,  and  during  that  time  when,  even  after 
their  going  out,  the  earth,  ravaged  by  the  deluge,  could  offer  them 
none?  Has  one  ever  considered  how  much  so  many  carnivorous 
animals  would  consume;  the  tremendous  quantity  of  animals  that 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  201 

GENESIS  VII.  COSMOGONIE  VII. 


1.  And-he-said,  I  H  o  A  H, 
unto  Noah  come-thou!  and- 
the-whole-interior-thine    to- 
ward-the-thcbah   ( sheltering 
abode)  :    for-t he-self same- 
ness-t  h  i  n  e     I-d  i  d-view-as 
righteous   in-t  h  e-face-mine, 
by-the-age  this. 

2.  From-all   the-quadru- 
pedly-w  a  1  k  i  n  g-kind,   the- 
pure !    thou-shalt-draw    un- 
to-thee,  by-seven  seven !  the- 
very-principle  and-the-voli- 
tive-intellectual-faeulty-i  t  s- 
o  w n   an  d-f  r o  m-the-quad- 
ruped,  which-is  not-pure  in- 
itself,    by-twains,    the-prin- 
ciple  and-the-v  o  1  i  t  i  v  e-fa- 
culty-its-own. 


1.  Et-il-dit,  IHOAH,  a- 
Noah,  vient-toi !  et-tout-1'in- 
terieur-a-toi,  devers-la-tffte- 
bah  (la  place  de  refuge)  car 
1'i  p  s  e  i  t  e-tienne  j '  ai-con- 
sideree  juste  a-m  a-f  ace, 
dans-1'age  celui-ci. 


2.  De-tout  le-genre-quad- 
rupede,  le-pur!  tu-prendras 
(tu  retireras)  a-toi,  sept  a- 
sept!  le-principe  et-la-fa- 
c  u  1 1  e-volitive-ef ficiente-a- 
lui ;  et-du-genre-quadrupede 
qui-est  non-pur  en-lui-meme, 
deux-a-deux,  le-principe  et- 
la-faculte-efficiente-a-lui. 


would  be  required  for  their  nourishment,  and  the  amount  of  herhs, 
or  of  grain  necessary  for  those  even  which  must  be  devoured  to  sus- 
tain the  others?  Obviously  a  physical  impossibility. 

But  Moses  was  not  unlearned.  The  instructions  that  he  had 
received  in  the  sanctuaries  of  Egypt  were  not  nonsense,  and  the 
particular  inspiration  -which  animated  him  did  not  lead  him  to  ab- 
surdities. I  believe  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  giving  several 
times  evident  proof  of  it.  I  repeat  that  it  is  always  as  translator 
and  not  as  commentator,  that  I  have  done  so.  These  are  not  my 
ideas  that  I  am  giving;  these  are  his  own  that  I  am  restoring. 

Whatever  may  be  the  thebah,  sacred  storehouse  of  Nature  given 
over  to  the  repose  of  existence,  whose  mystery  can  never  be  wholly 
divulged,  it  is  at  least  certain  that  it  is  not  a  boat,  properly  so-called. 
It  is  a  place  of  refuge,  an  inaccessible  retreat,  where  elementary  life 


202         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
3.     Gam  me-hdph  ha- 


1'haidth 

zerah   hal-phenei  d  h  o  1-h  a- 
aretz. 


itself,  is  concentrated  during  great  catastrophes,  cataclysms  and 
conflagrations  which  the  universe  undergoes.  When  the  fountains  of 
the  deep  rise  in  tempestuous  violence  covering  and  ravaging  the  earth, 
the  principle  and  the  efficient  volitive  faculty  of  all  the  heings  of 
the  animal,  aerial  or  terrestrial  kingdom,  must  be  united  there  in 
that  holy  thebah. 

Now,  what  is  a  principle?  What  is  an  efficient  volitive  faculty? 
A  principle  is  that  which  constitutes  the  being  such  as  it  is  in 
general;  for  example,  that  which  makes  the  lamb  not  a  wolf:  the 
hind,  not  a  panther;  the  bull,  not  a  hippopotamus.  A  principle 
produces  its  efficient  faculty  in  the  same  manner  that  fire  produces 
heat.  It  is  by  the  action  of  its  faculty  that  every  principle  is  in- 
dividualized:  for  every  faculty  reproducing  in  its  turn  its  principle,  in 
the  same  manner  that  heat  produces  fire,  multiplies  the  being  by  a 
sort  of  division.  It  is  the  efficient  faculty  which  manifesting  the 
principle,  causes,  for  example,  the  bear  not  to  be  inclined  in  the 
same  fashion  as  a  rabbit;  a  sparrow  hawk  as  a  dove;  a  rhinocerous 
as  a  gazelle.  It  is  by  its  efficient  volitive  faculty  emanated  from  its 
principle  that  every  being  conforms  exteriorly.  The  naturalists  who 
have  assumed  that  the  tiger  was  tiger  because  he  had  teeth,  claws, 
stomach  and  intestines,  fashioned  in  a  particular  way,  have  spoken 
thoughtlessly  and  without  understanding.  They  might  have  done 
better  by  saying,  that  the  tiger  had  those  teeth,  claws,  stomach  and 
intestines  because  he  was  tiger,  that  is  to  say,  because  his  efficient 
volitive  faculty  constituted  him  such.  It  is  not  the  instrument 
which  gives  the  will,  but  the  will  the  instrument.  The  compass  no 
more  makes  geometry,  than  the  dagger  makes  the  assassin,  or  the 
violin  the  virtuoso.  These  men  can  use  these  things  to  help  them- 
selves but  their  will  must  always  have  precedence  over  the  usage. 

Moses  expresses  as  usual,  the  principle  of  being  and  its  ef- 
ficient volitive  faculty  by  the  words  1ZTX  and  nttfX .  I  have  given 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  203 

3.  And-also  from  the-fly-  3.  Anssi  du-genre-vola- 
ing-fowl  of-heavens,  by-se-  tile  des-cieux  sept  a-sept; 
vens;  male  and-female  for-  male  et-femelle  afin-d'etre- 
being-kept-existing  in-germ  fait-exister  sementiellement 
upon-t  h  e-face  of-the- whole-  »sur-la-face  de-toute-la-terre. 
earth. 


the  etymology  and  the  hieroglyphic  meaning  of  both.  It  is  un- 
necessary for  me  to  repeat.  To  ask  why  his  translators  have  not 
rendered  these  important  expressions,  is  vain  repetition:  it  is  ask- 
ing on  the  one  hand,  why  they  have  not  wished  to  betray  the  mys- 
teries of  the  Sepher,  knowing  them;  or,  on  the  other,  why  not  know 
ing  them  they  have  not  betrayed  them. 

The  Hellenists  have  distorted  the  Mosaic  phrase  in  saying  here 
ifxrtr  Kul  ffij\v  ,  male  and  female,  because  they  knew  or  ought  to 
have  known  that  B*K  and  HEX  never  had  that  signification:  but 
could  they  do  otherwise?  Could  they  expose  for  destruction  all  that 
they  had  done?  Rather  than  to  disclose  the  true  meaning  of  this 
expression,  or  to  become  ridiculous  by  continuing  to  see  there  man 
and  woman,  they  preferred  to  copy  the  Samaritan  which  had  solved 

the  difficulty  in  reading-^^f^  .^ffi  male  and  female,  without 
concerning  themselves  whether  these  words,  analogous  to  the  Hebraic 
words  napjl  "13T.  were  not  announced  further  on  as  a  warning  not  to 
confuse  them.  I  have  already  said  that  these  interpreters  preferred 
to  be  accused  of  incoherences  and  contradictions,  than  to  violate  the 
mysteries  of  Moses.  As  to  Saint  Jerome,  he  could  not  diviate  on 
this  occasion  from  the  meaning  of  the  Hellenists,  without  disturbing 
their  version  entirely  and  without  inopportunely  shedding  light  on 
this  conscious  reticence. 


v.  3.  PIT  nvnb,  for-being-kept-existing-in-germ....  This  is  per- 
fectly obvious  and  corroborates  in  an  irresistible  manner,  what  I 
have  said.  The  quadrupeds  are  placed  in  the  thebah,  in  principle 
and  in  faculty,  and  the  flying  fowl,  male  and  female,  in  germ  only. 
This  distinction  sustains  the  system  of  Moses,  which  gives  to  birds 
the  same  origin  as  to  fishes,  in  making  them  both  multiply  by  the 
aqueous  element,  whereas  he  correlates  the  quadruped  kind  with 
the  adamic  element.  It  suffices  therefore  to  conserve  the  germ  ex- 


204        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

4.    Chi  riamlm  h6d  shib-     v; 
ehah,   anochi   mametlr  hal-     o 
ha-aretz  arbahlm  16m  w'ar- 
bahijn  lailah :  w-m  a  h  1 1  h  1     <??"n^  'Wffi 
aeth-chol  ha-iekoum  ashep     *} 
hashithi  me-hal  phenei  ha- 
adamah. 


5.    Wa-lahash  Noah  dhe-     •  nlH*  1HJV  ^^^?  ^5  Pti  tryn 
dhol  asher  tziwa-hou 


Istence  of  birds  upon  the  breast  of  the  waters;  whereas  terrestrial 
animals  which  emanate  from  another  principle,  require  that  this 
principle  be  conserved. 

The  Hellenists  not  knowing  how  to  express  this  phrase,  have 
resolved  to  distort  it  like  the  preceding  one,  by  saying  Starptyai 
rrfpua,  that  the  germ  be  nourished;  which  has  no  sense.  The 
author  of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  to  repair  this  absurdity,  translates  "ut 
salvetur  semen,"  that  the  germ  be  saved;  -which  has  more  truth  but 
which  absolutely  contradicts  the  Hebrew;  for  the  verb  n'i^n  does  not 
signify  to  save,  but  to  exist,  to  live;  so  that  the  words  jn?  ITiTlb 
signify  literally,  for  the  action  of  existing,  or  of  living,  germ,  that  is 
to  say,  in  germ. 

v.  4.  a"W«,  four-tens What  I  have  said  upon  the  com- 
position of  this  word  and  upon  the  signification  of  its  root,  can 
be  reviewed  in  v.  10,  ch.  II.  One  can  also  consult  the  Rad.  Vocab. 
concerning  the  roots  *>,  Cs  and  Tiy. 

TTnttl,   and-I-shall-wash-off It  is  .the  root    fitt   changed  to 

Htt  to  increase  its  force,  which  develops  in  the  verb  PTiHtt,  all  ideas 
attached  to  the  action  of  water. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


205 


4.  For-in-the-days  (mani- 
fested lights)  of-the-present- 
cyclic-period,  t  h  e-seventh, 
myself-I-am  causing-to-rain 
upon-the-earth  four-tens  of- 
day  (a  great  quaternion  of 
light )  a  n  d-f  o  u  r-t  e  n  s  of- 
night  (a  great  quaternion  of 
darkness)  :  an  d-I-shall- 
wash-o  f  f  that-whole-stand- 
ing-plastic-nature, which-I- 
have-framed  from-over  the- 
face  of-the-adamic  (elemen- 
tary ground), 


4.  Car  aux-j  o  u  r  s  ( aux 
manifestations  phenomeni- 
ques)  de-la-p6riode-actuelle, 
septieme,  moi-meme-je-suis 
faisant-pleuvoir  sur-la-terre 
quatre-decuples  de-jour  (un 
grand  quaternaire  de  lum- 
iere)  et-quatre-decuples  de- 
nuit  (un  grand  quaternaire 
d'  obscurit^)  :  et-j'effacerai 
cette-toute  la-  nature-plas- 
tic-substantielle  q  u  e-j '  a  i- 
faite,  de-dessus  la-face  de-P 
element  adamique. 


5.    And-he-did,  Noah,  the  5.    Et-il-fit,  Noah  le-sem- 

same-all   which  had-care-  blable  tout  lequel  avait-pre- 

fully-p rescribed  to-him,  scrit-a-lui-avec-soin,  IHOAH. 
IHOAH. 


standing-plastic-nature The  root    ip  characterizes  in 

general,  indefinite  material  extent,  a  thing  indeterminate,  obtuse, 
vague.  The  verb  which  is  formed  of  it  nip,  expresses  the  action  of 
stretching,  of  extending,  of  being  carried  toward  an  object;  the  ac- 
tion of  forming  a  desire,  emitting  a  sound,  etc.  The  same  root 
ip ,  having  asssumed  the  sign  of  exterior  and  plastic  action,  in 
Dip,  signifies  as  noun,  a  substance,  in  general,  an  extensive  thing, 
a  material  object;  as  verb,  it  presents  the  action  of  existing  material- 
ly, of  subsisting,  of  being  clothed  with  form  and  substance,  of  being 
formed,  of  coagulating,  of  rising  with  force,  of  opposing,  etc.  These 
various  significations  which,  as  one  can  see,  have  their  source  in  the 
extent  or  in  the  indefinite  material  substance,  of  which  the  root  ip 
is  the  symbol,  are  united  in  the  word  Clp"  by  the  sign  of  potential 
manifestation  *,  which  here  adds  the  sense  that  I  give  it  of  substance 
or  of  plastic,  substantial  nature. 

This  word,  however,  not  being  expressible  by  any  analogue,  must 
be  considered  carefully.  The  Chaldean  paraphrast  has  preserved  it 
in  its  integrity;  but  the  Samaritan  has  deemed  proper  to  change  it, 
and  has  substituted  fX*\i"iJ2&  which,  coming  evidently  from  the  root 


206         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


6.     W-Noah  b  e  n-s  h  e  s  h     ^aenj  rw  HlKO  8PB>"|3  mi 
maoth  s  h  a  n  a  h  w'ha-mab- 
boul  halah  matm   hal-ha- 
aretz. 


1.     Wa-iaboa    Noah   w-     1»JD-»^  ifi)  VJD1  PU 
banal-6    w'aisheth-6    w-nes-     ,  T 
hei-banai-6  aith-6  cl-ha-the-     ^D  '«? 
bah  mi-phenel  mel  ha-mab- 
boul. 


8.    Min-ha-behemah  ha-te-     - 
h  6  r  a  h    w-min-ha-behemah 
asher  aine-nah   tehorah   w- 
min-ha-h6ph  w-dhol  asher 
•omesh  hal-ha-adamah : 


'Jltt  or  ptt  signifies  <7iof  to/iicTi  constitutes  the  form,  the  mien  of 
things.  The  Hellenists  in  rendering  this  word  by  t^avdffraffif,  re- 
surrection, have  had  a  very  singular  idea.  Saint  Jerome  has  not 
followed  them  in  this  instance;  he  has  translated  it  simply  "sub- 
stantiam"  the  substance. 

v.  5.    All  these  terms  are  understood. 

v.  6.  E?2Tp  the-son-of-six . . . .  I  beg  the  reader  to  observe 
that  Moses  speaking  of  Noah  names  him  here  again,  son  of  an  on- 
tological  duration.  This  hierographic  writer  had  said,  v.  32,  ch.  v. 
that  Noah  was  son  of  five  hundreds  of  temporal  mutation,  when  he 
begat  8hem,  Ham  and  Japheth;  now  he  announces  that  he  was  son 
of  six  hundreds  of  like  mutaiion  when  the  deluge  inundated  the 
earth.  If  the  reader  would  penetrate  the  profound  thought  which 
Moses  encloses  in  these  hieroglyphic  expressions,  he  should  remember 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


207 


6.  And-AToo/i-was-the-son 
( consequent   offspring)    of- 

s  i  x  hundreds  of-bein<?s-re- 
volving-c  h  a  n  g  e,  that-the- 
great-s  well  ing  was  of-waters 
upon-the-earth. 

7.  And-he-went,   Noah, 
and-the  sons-of-him   (his  is- 
sued offspring)    and-the-in- 
tellectual-mate-his-own   (his 
volitive  faculty) ,  a  n  d-t  h  e- 
corporeal-mates  of-the-sons- 
of-him  (their  natural  facul- 
ties )     toward-t  he-thebah 
(sheltering  abode),  from- 
the-face  of-the  water's  great- 
swelling. 

8.  From-t  h  e-quadruped- 
ly-walking-kind  of-the-pure- 
ness,  a  n  d-from-the-quadru- 
pedly-walking-k  i  n  d   which 
not-being-itself   of-the-pure- 
ness,  a  n  d-f  r  o  m-the-f lying- 
fowl,  a  n  d-from-every-creep- 
ing-life  upon-the-adamic. 


6.  Et-JVoa/i-e'tait  1  e-f  i  1  s 
(le  resultat)  de-six-cen- 
taines    de-mutation-tempor- 
elle-ontologique,que-la-gran- 
de-intumescence  e  t  a  i  t  des- 
eaux  sur-la-terre. 

7.  Et-il-alla,  Noah,  et-les- 
fils-a-lui    (ses  productions) 
et-la-femme-  intellectuelle-a- 
lui  (sa  facult^  volitive  effi- 
ciente ) ,  e  t-1  e  s-epouses-cor- 
porelles  des-fils-siens  (leurs 
facultes  physiques),  vers-la- 
thebah  (1'asyle  sacr6),  de-la- 
face  des-eaux  de-la-grande- 
intumescence. 


8.  D  u-genre-quadrupede 
de-1  a-p  u  r  e  1 6,  et-du-genre- 
quadrupede  lequel  non-etre- 
lui  de-la-purete,  et-du-genre- 
volatile,  et-d  e-t  o  u  t-ce-qui- 
e  s  t-anim^-d'un-mouvement- 
reptiforme  s  u  r  - 1'  £16ment- 
adaniique. 


that  in  the  Hebraic  decade  whose  etymology  I  have  carefully  sought, 
I  have  found  that  the  number  five  tt?72n  ,  was  that  of  physical  com- 
pression; that  number  six,  W,  contained  the  ideas  of  a  proportional 
and  relative  measure;  and  that,  by  the  number  one  hundred,  n^tt  < 
should  be  understood  the  extension  of  a  thing  which  fills  its  natural 
limits. 


v.  7.  i'OD"*BJ!  ,  and-the-corporeal-mates  of-thc-sons-of-him  ----  I 
make  here  the  same  observation  that  I  have  made  in  v.  18,  ch.  VI. 
Moses  who  uses  the  word  HEX,  to  characterize  the  volitive  faculty 
of  Noah,  makes  use  of  the  word  "E?2  to  designate  the  physical  fac- 
ulties of  the  beings  emanated  from  it.  This  recidivism  ought  to 


208        THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


9.    Shenalm  shenaim  baou     -^   rO'^N  W3 
sel-Noah  sel-ha-thebah  zachar 
w-nekebah  «h'  asher  tziwah     * 
seth-Noah. 


10.     W  a-i  h  i  Pshibehath    ^DD  >D1  D'DTT 
ha-iamim  w-mel  ha-mabboul  T 

halou  hal-ha-aretz. 


prove  to  those  who  might  think  hazard  alone  had  decided  this  ar- 
rangement of  words,  that  Moses  had  had  a  real  intention  in  dispos- 
ing of  them  in  this  manner. 

v.  8.  nTinwn,  of-the-pureness I  note  this  word  to  call  at- 
tention to  the  fact  that  the  root  from  which  it  comes,  lin ,  fire,  is 
precisely  the  same  as  that  from  which  the  word  purity  is  derived: 
for  our  qualiflcative  pure,  evidently  comes  from  the  Greek  rvp,  fire, 
which  finds  its  principle  in  the  elementary  root  11X ,  the  history  of 
which  can  be  seen  in  v.  3  and  10,  ch.  I.  The  Hebrew  word  lints 
and  the  English  -word  pure,  differ  from  each  other  only  by  the  initial 
sign.  It  is  always  fire  which  constitutes  its  radical  principle,  and 
from  which  the  genius  of  the  two  tongues  draws  the  idea  of  puri- 
fication. The  Hellenists  who,  in  this  instance,  have  employed  the 
word  na8ap6s  are  not  far  from  the  primitive  root  118,  since  this 
facultative  is  derived  from  the  verb  KaOalpeiv,  which  means  to  pass 
through  fire,  to  make  like  fire:  but  they  have  not  been  followed  by 
the  Latin  translator,  who,  having  before  him  the  qualificative  "purus", 
has  taken  "mundus",  whose  root  und,  denatures  entirely  the  thought 
of  the  hierographic  -writer.  For  this  latter  word,  being  related,  as 
can  be  seen,  to  the  action  of  the  waters,  depicts  only  a  sort  of  ex- 
terior cleanness,  whereas  the  word  "purus",  being  attached  to  the 
root  118,  fire,  would  express  an  interior  purification  resulting  from 
its  action.  This  distinction,  trifling  as  it  may  appear  to  certain 
minds,  is  of  the  greatest  importance  for  the  mystagogues.  Air,  fire 
and  water  were  considered  in  the  mysteries  as  three  purifying  ele- 
ments; but  one  was  careful  not  to  confuse  their  action. 

I  ought,  moreover,  to  say  that  the  Samaritan  in  making  use  of 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


209 


9.  Twains-by-twains  they- 
went  t  o  w  a  r  d-Noah  ( na- 
ture's rest)  toward-the-^e- 
bah,  male  and-female,  so-as 
w  i  s  e  1  y-prescribed  HE-the- 
Gods, 


9.  De-deux  en-deux,  ils- 
allerent  \ers-Noah  (le  re- 
pos  de  1'existence)  vers-la 
thcbah,  male  et-femelle,  se- 
len-que  prescrivit-sagement 
LUi-les-D  i  e  u  x,  a  u-m  e  m  e- 
Noah. 


10.  And-it-was  on-the- 
seventh  of-the-days  (mani- 
rfested  lights)  that-the-wa- 
ters  of-the-jg  r  e  a  t-swelling 
were  upon-the  earth. 


10.  E  t-c  e-f  u  t  a  u-sept- 
ieme  des-jours  (manifesta- 
tions ph6nomeniques)  que- 
1  e  s-eaux  de-la-grande-intu- 
mescence  furent  sur-la-terre. 


the  word  ^(jtfjffiffi, nad  much  earlier,  committed  the  same  error  as 
that  with  which  I  reproach  the  Latin  translator,  corrupting  in  this  in- 
stance, as  in  many  others,  the  hieroglyphic  meaning  of  Moses. 


v.  9.    All  these  terms  are  understood. 

v.  10.  ny2t?b,  on-the-seventh  ----  We  have  seen  in  searching 
for  the  etymology  of  the  Hebraic  decade,  that  number  seven  yiV, 
was  that  of  the  consummation  of  things  and  times. 


v.  11.  EnirO,  in-the-moon^renewing  ----  The  root  in  from 
which  this  word  comes,  and  which  expresses  unity,  is  only  the  root 
1J>  which  develops  all  ideas  attached  to  time,  and  in  which  the  ele- 
mentary sign  n  has  been  replaced  by  that  of  physical  sense  y  « 
These  two  roots,  closely  allied  to  each  other,  are  often  confused  in 
pronunciation,  thus  confusing  the  diverse  expressions  of  elementary 
and  of  temporal  existence.  This  is  the  case  here.  The  sign  of 
relative  movement  W  added  to  this  root,  carries  the  idea  of  a  be- 
ginning of  existence,  either  in  the  order  of  things  or  in  the  order 
of  time.  Thus  the  word  EHH  characterizes  that  which  is  new,  that 
which  is  renewed;  that  which  reappears.  With  the  luminous  sign, 
this  same  word  12?Tin  ,  becomes  the  expression  of  a  neomenia,  a  festival 
of  the  new  moon:  and  in  a  restricted  sense,  it  indicates  a  month 
measured  by  the  course  of  the  moon. 

lypDi,  were-unlocked.  ...  This  is  the  verb  TipD  employed  ac- 
cording to  the  positive  form,  passive  movement.  One  can  see  in 


210         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


11.    B  i-s  h  e  n  a  t  h   sbesb     ny 
niaedth    shanab    Khali-Noah 
ba-hodesh   ba-sbeni.  b'sbibe- 
bab-hasbar  i6m  la-hodesb  ba-     -^3  WpD.3  JTtn  01* 
iom  ha-zeh  nibekehou  chol- 

mabeinotb    thehom    rabbah     *&$$  rr?<^1  D<inP 
w'arubbotb  ha-sbamaim  ni- 
phethahou. 


12.     Wa-i. hi   ha-gbeshem     D^3^K  rnKn"1?^  D^D  *iT1 
hal-ha— aretz    arbabim    iom 
w'arbaMm  lailah. 


the  Rad.  Vocab.  and  in  v.  4  of  this  chapter,  what  I  have  said  of 
the  root  Ipfrom  which  it  comes.  This  root,  governed  by  the  sign  of 
generative  action  3  and  terminated  by  that  of  physical  sense  y  ,  ex- 
presses the  action  of  giving  unlimited  extension  to  a  thing;  of  un- 
locking, of  breaking  the  bonds  which  restrict  it;  of  disuniting  it,  etc. 

rTtiTE ,   springs-of-the-deep The   root    \y    characterizes    in 

the  literal  sense,  an  inflection,  a  curvature,  a  thing  concave  or 
convex.  Terminated  by  the  final  character  ],  it  is  the  symbol  of  a 
curvature,  of  an  entire  inflection;  it  depicts  a  circle,  which,  con- 
sidered relative  to  its  circumference,  presents  a  globe;  and  relative  to 
its  centre,  a  recess,  a  hole.  This  root  thus  formed,  ill',  enlightened 
by  the  sign  of  potential  manifestation,  becomes  the  word  ]*y,  which, 
according  as  it  is  examined  exteriorly  or  interiorly,  designates  some- 
times the  eye  and  sometimes  the  depth  of  a  spring.  It  is  in  this 
latter  sense  that  it  is  employed  on  this  occasion,  having  for  initial 
character  the  plastic  sign  of  exterior  action,  73. 

indefinite-potential-might I    have    explained    the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


211 


11.  By-the-revolving  six- 
hundreds  of-revolviug- 
change,  regarding-t  h  e-lives 
of-JVow/t,  iu-the-moon-renew- 
ing  the-secoud,  in-t he-seven- 
teenth mauifested-light  of- 
that-renewing,  at-the-day  it- 
Kelf,  were-unlocked  all-the- 
springs  o  f-t  h  e-deep's  inde- 
finite potential-might;  and- 
the-multiplyiug-quaternions 
of-h  e  a  v  e  n  s  were-loosened 
( unfastened,  given  up  to 
their  own  dilating  motion). 


12.  And-there-was  t he- 
massy-shower  (waterish  at- 
mosphere falling  down  in- 
cessantly )  upon-t  h  e-earth, 
four-tens  o  f-d  a  y  and-four- 
tens  of-night  Can  entire  qua- 
ternion of  light  and  dark- 
ness). 


11.  Dans-la-mutation-on- 
tologique     des-six-centaines 
d  e  -  mutation,  touchant  -  les- 
vies  de-Noah  dans-le-renou- 
vellement-lunaire  le-second ; 
dans-la-d  i  x-septieme  mani- 
festation-lumineuse    de  -c  e- 
renouvellement,  au-jour  ce- 
lui-la,  furent-lachees  toutes- 
les-sources  de-la-puissance-d' 
e  t  T  e-universelle,  indefinie : 
et-les-f  o  r  c  e  s  quaternaires- 
multiplicatrices  des-c  i  e  u  x 
furent  deliees  (abandonnees 
&  leur  propre  extension). 

12.  Et-fut  la-chute-d'eau 
(1'atmosphere  aqueuse  tom- 
bant  en  masse)  sur-la-terre, 
quatre-decuples  de-jour  et- 
quatre-decuples  de-nuit  (un 
quaternaire  entier  de  lum- 
iere  et  d'obscurite). 


word  i3'"n  in  v.  2.,  ch.  I;  and  the  root  of  the  word  ~D1  is  found  suf- 
ficiently developed  in  v.  10,  ch.  II. 

lnnC3,  were-loosened . . . .  This  is  the  verb  n*PC,  employed  after 
the  positive  form,  passive  movement.  The  root  .1C,  from  which  it 
conies,  has  been  explained  under  the  proper  name  of  Japheth,  v.  3. 
ch.  V. 

v.   12.      CU3n,   the-massy-shower . .. .  The   Hebrew   word   has 

an  almost  incredible  forcefulness  which  can  scarcely  be  understood 
by  the  word-for-word  French  or  English,  for  the  reader  who  has  not 
some  idea  of  those  masses  of  water  which,  lowering  suddenly  like  a 
sheet  of  water  falling  from  the  atmosphere,  inundate  at  times  cer- 
tain countries  of  Asia.  These  cataclysms  are  of  short  duration,  for 
if  they  were  continued  as  that  one  which  Moses  characterizes  by  the 
word  eiEX  to  whi';h  he  attributes  an  immense  duration,  they  would 


212         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


13.  B'hetzem  ha-16m  ha- 
zeh  b&  Noah  w-Shem-w- 
Ham-wa-Jepheth  benei  Noah 
w'sesheth  Noah  w-shelos- 
heth  neshei-bana!.-6-aitham 
ael-ha-thebah : 


m 


ro 


on* 


nrn 
ro-r?? 


14.     Hemmah!  w'6hol-ha- 


remesh  ha  -  romesh  hal  -  ha- 
ftret.  rmin-hou  w-chol-ha- 
hoph  Fmm-hou  chol  tziphor 
chool  dhanaph: 


WITT1??)  HOTT 

nm  non?n 


in.)'0> 


cause  frightful  catastrophes.  The  words  verfa,  "pluvia",  rain,  as  it 
has  been  rendered  by  the  translators,  depicting  water  falling  by 
drops  or  by  slender  streams,  does  not  make  the  force  of  the  Hebraic 
expression  felt. 

The  root  from  which  this  word  conies  is  E?},  by  which  should 
be  understood  a  thing  continued,  palpable  and  without  solution  of 
continuity.  Thence,  the  Hebrew  verb  Eia  to  feel,  to  recognize  with 
the  hand;  and  the  Chaldaic  words  xntM  substance  continued  and  pal- 
pable; KEEia  a  body,  "EEtt  corporeal,  niElW  corporeity,  etc.  Thence, 
the  Syriac  J«. .  •.».  sense  and  sensation;  and  the  Arabic  ^/^f 
a  thick  thing,  a  profound  obscurity! 

It  is  easy  to  see,  after  this  explanation,  that  the  root  E?X  univer- 
salized in  the  word  C2?2,  by  the  collective  sign  D,  characterizes  an 
aqueous  atmosphere,  forming  a  kind  of  dark  and  palpable  body.  I 
invite  the  physicists  who  have  sought  the  origin  of  the  waters  of  the 
deluge,  to  meditate  a  little  upon  this  illuminating  etymology.  The 
Samaritan  translator  has  allowed  the  terrible  picture  offered  here  by 
Moses  to  escape  by  substituting  for  the  original  word,  the  word 
<^,^V*3dV  °  heavy  rain.  The  Chaldaic  paraphrast  seems  to  have 
been  more  fortunate  in  giving  at  least  JlTli  X112E)  a  contiguous,  pal- 
pable rain. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


213 


13.  Fro  m-the-very-sub- 
stantial-principle  of-this-day 
itself,  went  Noah,  and-/S7iew- 
smd-Ha w-a  n  d-Japhcth,    is- 
sued-offspring-of-i\Toa7/,,  and- 
t  h  e  -  volitive-faculty-2S7oaft's 
and-the-three  natural-facul- 
ties   o  f-t  h  e-offspring-h  i  s- 
own,  together-them  toward- 
the-thebah    (mutual  asy- 
lum) : 

14.  Themselves!  and-the- 
whole-animality,  after-t  h  e- 
kind-its-own ;  all-quadruped 
after-the-kind-its-own ;  and- 
a  1 1-creeping-l  i  f  e    trailing- 
along  upon-the-earth,  after- 
the-kind-its-own  ;    a  n  d-all- 
fowl   after-the-kind-its-own, 
every-thing-running,    every- 
thing-flying : 


13.  Des-le-principle-sub- 
stantiel  du-jour  celui-la, 
alia  Noah,  et-Shem  et-Ham- 
et-Japhcth,  productions-de- 
Noah,  e  t-1  a-facult6-volitive 
de-Noah,  et-1  e  s-trois-facul- 
t6s-physiques  des-product- 
ions-a-1  u  i,  ensemblement, 
devers-la-i  heb  ah  ( Pasile 
mutuel)  : 


14.  E  u  x-m  £  m  e  s  !  et- 
toute-l'animalit6  selon-i'es- 
pece-sienne ;  t  o  u  t-quadru- 
pede  s  e  1  o  n-respece-sienne, 
et-tout-reptile  rampant  sur- 
la-terre,  selon-1'espece-sien- 
ne,  et-tout-volatile  selon-1' 
espece-sienne :  toute-chose- 
courant,  toute-chose-volant : 


v.  13.  CU2D,  From-the-very-substantial-principle. . . .  This  word 
Is  presented  here  in  a  very  singular  manner.  It  affords  matter  for 
reflection.  In  whatever  way  one  wishes  to  understand  it,  I  defy 
anyone  to  see  either  wood,  or  bones,  or  tree,  following  the  interpreta- 
tion that  the  Hellenists  have  given  it  in  other  instances.  See  v.  9. 
and  23,  ch.  II. 

*E3  PE/EV  and-the-three-natural-factultics It  can  be  seen 

again  with  what  constancy  Moses  distinguishes  the  word  r^ffX 
belonging  to  the  intellectual  mate  of  Noah,  from  the  word  e*^  ap- 
propriate for  the  mates  of  his  sons. 

CnX ,  together-them This  word  depicts  very  well  the  ef- 
fect of  the  collective  sign  D,  added  to  the  designative  preposition 

nx. 

v.  14  and  15.  All  these  terms  have  been  explained,  or  offer  no 
difficulty. 


214         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


15.  Wa-teboaou  sel-Noah 
ael-ha-thebah  shenalm  shen- 
aim  mi-chol  ha-bashar  as 
her  b'o  rouah  haiim. 


16.    W'ha-baim  zadhar  w-    n^T^O  rOp.JFI  "O{ 

"  " 

,Elohi.m  :  wa-issegor  InOAH 
ba-had-6. 


17.    Wa-ihi  ha-mabboul 


seou  a3th-ha-thebah,  wa-tha- 
ram  me-hal-ha-aretz. 


T.  16.     1"J3?3,    by-the-removing-himself The    Hellenists   who 

had  no  doubt  their  reasons  for  hiding  from  the  vulgar  the  theo- 
sophical  ideas  of  the  Sepher,  chose  the  part  here  of  making  IHOAH, 
a  kind  of  door-keeper  who  shuts  the  door  upon  Noah:  KoJ  e/tXewre 
mJptos  6  Gedr  ?£«0e*  ;  an  idea  quite  ridiculous,  which  the  Latin  trans- 
lator has  not  failed  to  copy  "et  includit  eum  Dominus  deforis"; 
but  the  Hebraic  verb  .TilJ?  as  well  as  the  Chaldaic,  Bthiopic  and 
Arabic  analogues,  all  signify  to  be  removed,  to  go  away,  to  disap- 
pear: which  proves  that  the  root  13?,  which  develops,  in  general,  all 
ideas  relative  to  time,  and  to  things  temporal  and  transitory,  ex- 
presses a  separation,  a  departure,  an  eclipse,  a  disappearance.  In 
the  present  case,  this  root,  taken  in  the  latter  sense,  is  inflected  by 
the  mediative  article  3,  and  followed  by  the  nominal  affix  1. 

v.  17.  f  12 VI  and-they-did-quaternify I  have  believed  it  neces- 
sary to  coin  this  word  taken  from  the  language  of  numbers, 
in  order  to  make  felt  the  force  of  the  root  ID  ,  from  which  are 
equally  derived,  both  the  name  of  the  number  C*221X  which  ex- 
presses the  duration  of  the  great  swelling  of  the  waters,  and  the 
verb  ,Ti21  which  characterizes  its  action. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


215 


15.  And-t  h  e  y-went  to- 
wa.Td-Noah  (nature's  rest) 
toward-the-sheltering-abode, 
t  w  a  i  n  s  b  y-twains,  from- 
e  v  e  r  y-c  o  r  p  o  r  e  a  1-shape 
which-h  a  s  in-itself  breath 
of-lives. 


15.  Et-ils  allerent  de- 
vers-Noah  (le  repos  de  la 
nature)  vers-la-retraite-in- 
accessible  deux  a-deux,  de- 
toute-forme-corporelle,  qui- 
a  dans-soi  souffle-des-vies. 


16.  And-thus-going,  male 
and-female  from-every-bod- 
ily -shape,  they-went  accord- 
ing-to-what    bad-prescribed 
to-himself,  HE-the-Gods :  and 
-he-shut-tip,    IHOAH,   by-the- 
removing-himself. 

17.  And-itwas,  the-great- 
swelling   four-tens  o  f-d  a  y 
u  p  o  n-the-earth ;    and-they- 
d  i  d-quaternify      (multiply- 
themselves )     the-w  a  t  e  r  s ; 
and-they-bare    the-*  hebah 
which  was-raised  from-over- 
the-earth. 


16.  Et-les-allants,  male 
et-female,  de-t  out  e-forme- 
corporelle,  allerent  suivant- 
c  e-q  u'a  v  a  i  t-prescrit  cela- 
meme-a-soi  Lui-les-Dieux,  et- 
il-conclut,  IHOAH.  au-moyen- 
de-reloignement-sien. 

17.  Et-elle-fut,   1  a-gran- 
de  intumescence,  quatre-de- 
cuples  de-jour  sur-la-terre ; 
e  t-e  1 1  e  s-s  e-quaterniserent 
(se  multiplierent)  les-eaux, 
et-elles-porterent    1  &-thcbah 
qui  fut-enlevee-de-dessus  la- 
terre. 


,   and-they-bare This   Is   the   verb      N'tfJ  ,   employed 

according  to  the  positive  form,  active  movement,  in  the  future  made 
past  by  the  convertible  sign  1.  This  verb  is  attached  to  the  root 
Itf ,  of  which  I  have  spoken  in  giving  the  etymology  of  number 
six  titf ,  v.  3  ch.  V.  It  depicts  a  sort  of  libration,  of  support  in 
equilibrium. 

Cini,  which-was-raised The  verb    C11     designates  literal- 

ly that  sort  of  action  or  movement  by  means  of  which  a  thing  runs 
through  or  fills  an  extent  or  a  place  which  it  did  not  occupy  former- 
ly. It  is  composed  of  the  sign  of  movement  proper  "1,  united  to 
that  of  exterior  and  plastic  action  ft. 

v.  18.   VlD}^,   and-they-prevailed-intensely Review   in   v.   14, 

ch.  VI,  what  I  have  said  roncerning  the  famous  word  1123. 
This  word  signifying,  according  to  its  exact  etymology,  a  superior 


216         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTOEED 


18.      Wa-ighebbrou    ha-     - 
maun  wa-irebbou  mseod  hal- 
ha-aretz:  wa-thelech  ha-the-     * 
bah  hal-phenel  ha-maim. 


-j^p  -13-1*5  Q»Q;-J 
OHO 


19.  Wha-maim  gabrou 
maedd  nuedd  hal-ha-aretz : 
wa-iechussou  chol  he-harim 
ha-ghebohim  asher  thahath 
chol-ha-sha-maim. 


1DDn 


20.  H  a  m  e  s  h  heshereh 
ammah  milmahelah  gabrou 
ha-malm  wa-iechussou  he- 
harlm. 


now 
:  onnr?  ID^I  D»on 


21.  Wa-ighewah  dhol- 
bashar  ha-romesh  hal-ha- 
aretz  ba-hoph  ba-behemah  w' 
ba-h  a  i  a  h  w-b'  chol-ha-sher- 
etz  ha-shoretz  hal-ha-aretz 
w'chol-ha-Adam. 


;  D"' 


man,  a  high-baron,  a  master,  the  verb  which  is  formed  from  it  should 
express  the  action  of  prevailing,  dominating,  acting,  commanding  as 
master,  etc.  This  verb  is  used  here  according  to  the  intensive  form, 
which  increases  its  force. 

v.  19  and  20.  The  terms  offer  no  difficulty  in  the  literal  sense. 
The  figurative  sense  springs  from  that  which  has  been  previously 
cited. 

v.  21.    J?iy%  thus-expired The  radical  verb    J?13,  such  as 

is  used  here,  indicates  a  total  dissolution  of  the  organic  system,  of 
which  the  root  13  is  the  symbol.  The  sign  1  materialized  by  the 
addition  of  the  sign  y,  thus  makes  this  root  pass  from  the  state  of 
organic  life  to  that  of  inorganic  life  or  material  death.  Our  at- 
tention has  already  been  called  to  this  same  verb  in  v.  3,  ch  III. 


COSMOGONY   OF  MOSES 


217 


18.  A  n  d-they-prevailed- 
intensely,   the- waters;  and- 
t  h  e  y-d  i  d-quaternify     ( in- 
crease themselves)   at-their- 
highest-rate,    upon-the- 
earth :  and-it-moved-to-and- 
fro,the-thebah,  on-the-f  ace 
of-the-waters. 

19.  And-the-waters  per- 
vailed    a  t-their-highest-rate 
s  o-m  u  c  h    u  p  o  n-the-earth 
that-were-covered  a  1 1-t  h  e- 
hills  u  p  p  e  r-m  o  s  t  which- 
were-below    t  h  e-whole-hea- 
vens. 

20.  Fifteen    o  f-mother- 
measuring   from-over-above, 
prevailed  the- waters:   and- 
were-quite-covered  the-hills. 

21.  Thus-expired   (was 
dissolved )     every-corporeal- 
shape  moving  on-the-earth, 
i  n-t  he-fowl,    an  d-in-the- 
quadruped,    and-in-the-life- 
e a  r  t  h-b o  r  n,   an  d-in-the- 
whole-worm-1  i  f  e  creeping- 
along  on-the-earth ;  and-the- 
whole-collective-man    ( man- 
kind). 


18.  Et-elles-pre"valurent- 
avec-force,   1  e  s-eaux,   et-se- 
quaterniserent    (augmenter- 
ent)  autant-q ue-possible  sur- 
la-terre:     et-elle-se-mouvait- 
en-tous-sens  \a.-thebah,  sur- 
la-face  des-eaux. 

19.  Et-les-eaux  pr6valu- 
rent  autant-que-possible  tel- 
lement-que,  sur-la-terre,  fu- 
rent-couvertes     toutes-1  e  s- 
montagnes  superieures   les- 
quel-les-6taient  e  n-b  a  s  de- 
tous-les-cieux. 

20.  Quinze    de-measure- 
m  6  r  e    pa  r-dessus-le-haut, 
prevalurent  les-eaux:  et-fu- 
rent  -  couvertes-entierement 
les-montagnes. 

21.  Ainsi-e  x  p  i  r  a  (dis- 
parut)     toute-forme-corpor- 
elle  se-mouvant  sur-la-terre, 
dans-le- volatile,   e  t-dans-le- 
quadrupede  et-d  a  n  s-l'cxis- 
tence-animale  et-dans-toute- 
Toriginante-vie  vermi forme, 
sur-la-terre ;   a  i  n  s  i-   q  u  e- 
tout-Fhomme-universel    (le 
regne  hominal). 


CIXH-^l,   and-the-tchole-collective-man The   reader   who 

follows  with  impartial  mind  the  development  of  these  notes,  will  see 
that  it  is  impossible  for  the  word  D1X  to  have  other  signification 
than  that  which  I  have  given  to  it,  of  universal  man  or  mankind. 
If  this  word  indicated  simply  a  man,  as  the  Hellenists  and  the  other 
interpreters  have  made  it  understood  in  this  passage,  what  is  it  then 


218         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

22.    Choi  asher  nishe-     VSJO D"n HIT. 
math-rouah  haiim  b'aphai-6, 
mi-dhol  asher  b'harabah  me- 
thou. 


23.  Wa-immah  seth-chol- 
ha-iekoum  asher  hal-phenel 
ha-adamah,  me-Adam  had-  («&&**$  D795 
behemah  had-remesh  w-had-  D»otrn  t]1^  "  "II 
hdph  ha-shamaim :  wa-im- 
mahou  m  i  n-ha-aretz :  wa- 
ish-ajpr  adh-N  o  a  h  w'asher 
aith-6  ba-thebah. 


that  Moses  intended  by  the  word  ^3  all,  which  he  unites  to  it  by 
means  of  the  determinative  article  D?  Is  it  that,  when  it  is  a 
question  of  dying,  of  expiring,  by  the  effect  of  a  frightful  catastrophe, 
a  man  can  be  divided?  Is  it  not  more  natural  to  understand  here, 
even  literally,  that  all  mankind  expired,  than  to  rack  one's  brains  to 
find  an  hebraism  where  the  phrase  is  perfectly  simple;  or,  to  change 
the  word  as  the  Latin  translator  who  says  "universi  homines"  all 
men,  not  being  able  to  rise  to  the  point  of  seeing  "omnis  universus 
homo"  all  universal  man,  which  would  exactly  render  the  Hebrew? 


v.  22.    ntttt^,  ageing-exalted  ----     Refer  to  v.  1,  ch.   II. 

n3"!nD,  in-the-wasting-havock  .  .  .  .  I  cannot  conceive  how  it  is 
possible  that  all  the  translators,  without  exception,  have  missed  the 
meaning  of  this  word,  it  is  so  simple.  Its  root  in  is  evident;  it  is 
united  to  the  sign  of  interior  action  2  ,  to  express  ravage,  extermina- 
tion, desolation,  scourge.  In  giving  it  the  sense  of  a  desert,  of  a 
dry  land  and  even  simply  of  the  earth,  as  the  Latin  translator,  they 
have  made  Moses  say  a  futile  and  ridiculous  thing.  It  was  not  the 
inhabitants  alone  of  the  desert  or  the  dry  lands  who  perished,  but  all 
beings  whatsoever,  who  were  struck  at  the  same  time  by  this  disaster, 
this  devastating  flood. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


219 


22.  All  that-had  a-being- 
exalted  (an  essence )of-the- 
breath  of-lives  in-the-spirit- 
ual-faeulty  his-own  among- 
the-w  hole  that-underwent 
the-w  as  t  i  n  g-havock  (the 
flood)  they-died. 


23.  A  n  d-h  e-washed-o  f  f 
(  IHOAH  )  even-t he-self same- 
ness-of-t  h  e-whole-standing- 
plastic-nature  w  h  i  c  h-w  a  s 
on-the-f  ace  of-the-adamic, 
from-mankind,  to-the-quad- 
rupedly-walking,  the-creep- 
ing-one,  t  h  e-f  o  w  1  of-hea- 
vens ;  and-they-were-washed 
-off  from-the-e  a  r  t  h :  and- 
there-remained  onlj-N  o  a  h 
(nature's  rest)  and-what- 
was  together-h  i  m  i  n-t  h  e- 
sh  el  teri  ng-abode. 


22.  T  o  u  s-les-etres    qui- 
avaient  un-6tant-eleve  (une 
essentialite)  de  Pesprit-des- 
v  i  e  s  dans-la-faculte-spiritu- 
elle-a-e  u  x,  parmi-tous-ceux 
qui  etaient  dans-le-desastre 
(atteints  par  le  fleau)    ils 

moururent. 

23.  Et-il-effaca   (IHOAH) 
Fipseit£-meme-de-t  out  e-na- 
ture-plastique-substantielle, 
qui-etait    sur-la-face   de-1' 
element-adamique,     depuis- 
le-genre-humain,     jusqu'au- 
genre-quadrupede,  au-repti- 
forme,  au-volatile-des-cieux : 
o  t-i  1  s-furent-effac6s-d  e-1  a- 
terre;  et-il-resta  seuleraent- 
Noah  (le  repos  del'existence 
£l£mentaire)    et-ce-qui-6tait 
ensemble-lui  dans  la  thcbah. 


v.   23.    rwixn,    of-the-adamic An    attentive    reader    should 

have  perceived  that,  in  the  narration  of  the  deluge,  Moses  did  not  use 
indifferently  the  name  of  adamah  n?2~!K,  primitive,  homogeneous  land, 
adamic  element,  and  that  of  artz,  y.X,  the  earth  properly  so-called. 
The  action  of  the  Divinity  is  exercized  particularly  upon  adamah;  the 
action  of  the  flood,  always  upon  artz.  There  is  in  this  verse  a  sin- 
gular difference  between  these  two  words.  The  Divinity,  Fays  Moses, 
effaces  the  selfsameness,  the  ipseity,  the  objectivity  of  corporeal  be- 
ings upon  the  face  of  adamah,  adamic  element,  and  all  corporeal  be- 
ings are  effaced  upon  artz,  elementary  earth.  There  are  many 
things  to  be  said  here,  but  I  could  not  undertake  the  explanation 
without  involving  myself  in  a  long  commentary  and  going  beyond  my 
position  of  simple  translator.  Perhaps  I  shall  one  day  make  amends 
for  my  silence  in  this  regard.  It  was  necessary  first,  to  reestablish 
the  meaning  of  the  words  and  make  the  Hebraic  text  understood  in 
its  purity;  but  this  text  once  understood,  it  will  no  doubt  be  im- 


220         THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTOEED 

24.      Wa-ighebbrou   ha-     DWP0 pKH'1?!? D'DH TO^ 
maim  hal-ha-a  r  e  t  z  hamis-  .       " 

Mm  w'math  16m.  *  D1 


portant  to  examine  the  doctrine  that  it  contains  so  as  to  fathom  all 
its  thoughts.  This  is  what  I  intend  doing,  if  my  labour,  welcomed 
by  the  true  savants  appears  to  them  useful  for  the  advancement  of 
knowledge  and  the  welfare  of  humanity. 

•)N#*1,  and-there-remained The  word  IXtf  is  applied 

literally  to  that  sort  of  residue  which  falls  to  the  bottom  of  a 
receptacle,  after  its  fluid  being  agitated  comes  to  equilibrium.  It  is 
composed  of  the  root  Ntf  or  Vtf ,  which  develops  all  ideas  of  measure 
and  of  equilibrium,  joined  to  the  sign  of  movement  proper  "I .  The 
verb  which  is  derived  from  it,  applied  here  to  Noah,  the  repose  of 
natural  existence,  is  very  worthy  of  attention. 

^N,  only This  is  the  same  root  TjX,  which  contains  all 

ideas  of  restriction,  of  compression,  of  closing  upon  oneself,  which 
Moses  uses  as  adverbial  relation,  uniting  it  by  hyphen  to  the  name 
of  Noah.  This  hierographic  writer  neglects  no  means  to  enlighten 
the  mind  of  the  reader  and  initiate  him  into  mysteries  that  he  can- 
not entirely  divulge.  This  simple  hyphen  forms  an  hieroglyphic 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  221 

24.  And-t  h  e  y-prevailed,  24.  E  t-elles-dominerent, 
the- waters,  upon-the-earth,  les-eaux,  sur-la-terre,  cinq- 
five-tens  and-one-hundred  decuples  et-une-centaine  de- 
of-day  (periodical  light).  jour  (manifestation  lumin- 

euse). 


figure,  the  translation  of  which  is  impossible.  The  use  of  this  fig- 
ure is  quite  frequent  in  the  tongue  of  Moses  and  demands  medita- 
tion. A  striking  example  can  be  seen  in  v.  13  of  this  chapter;  when 
the  hierographic  -writer,  wishing  to  make  understood  that  the  three 
productions  of  Noah,  Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth,  who  are  contained 
with  him  in  the  thebah,  are  not  three  distinct  beings,  but  one  unique 
triad,  links  them  together;  and  their  three  names  united,  form 
only  one  single  name:  nCTCnVCtfl  PiiJ  XD,  "he  went,  Noah,  (in  the 
thebah)  and-Shem-and-Ham-and-Japeth,"  Now,  this  triad,  thus  rep- 
resented hieroglyphically,  is  precisely  to  the  cosmogonic  being  called 
Xoah,  what  the  three  geometrical  dimensions  are  to  all  natural 
bodies. 

v.  24.      All  these  terms  are  understood. 


THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

*n  nnwro  IDD 


SEPHER  BER.ESHITH 
H. 


1.  Wa-izechar  ^Elohim 
a*  t  h-N  o  a  h  w'aeth-chol-h  a- 
h  a  i  a  h  w'aeth-chol-ha-behe- 
mah  asher  aith-6  ba-thebah : 
wa-l.ahober  ^Elohim  r  o  u  a  h 
hal-ha-a  r  e  t  z  wa-iashochou 
ha-maim. 


'  flftf 


rrn 


2.    Wa-issadhron  maheln- 
oth    thehoum    w  a-arubboth 
ha-shamaim  wa-icchalla  ha-     IP    Pf^fO 
gheshem  min-ha-shamaim. 


v.l.     12T-1,    and-he-remembered In    giving    the    etymology 

of  the  word  137  male,  in  v.  27,  ch.  I,  I  have  spoken  of  the  root 
13  which  forms  its  basis,  and  which,  as  I  have  said,  characterizes 
that  which  is  apparent,  eminent;  that  which  is  engraved  or 
serves  to  engrave;  that  which  is  of  a  nature  to  conserve  the  memory 
of  things.  It  is  remarkable  that  this  root,  governed  by  the  demon- 
strative sign  T,  develops  on  the  one  side,  the  idea  of  masculinity, 
and  on  the  other  that  of  memory;  for  the  word  "13T,  which  signifies 
literally  male,  designates  figuratively,  that  faculty  of  the  human  un- 
derstanding which  preserves  the  impression  of  sensations,  images 
and  evidences  of  ideas:  but  what  is  no  less  remarkable  is,  that  in  a 
tongue  far  removed  from  the  Hebrew  in  appearance,  the  Celtic 
tongue,  from  which  the  French  is  derived  through  the  Teutonic  and 
the  Latin,  a  same  root  has  of  yore  likewise  developed  these  two  ideas 
of  masculinity  and  memory,  which  appear  today  so  dissimilar.  This 
root  is  AL,  representing  that  which  is  raised,  not  only  in  Celtic  but 
in  Hebrew  and  in  all  the  ancient  tongues.  Now,  this  root  governed 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  223 

GENESIS  VIII.  COSMOGONIE  VIII. 


1.  An  d-h  e-remembered, 
HE-t  h  e-Gods,    the-selfsame 
ness-o  f-A'  o  ah,  and-that-of- 
t  h  e-whole-earth-born-e  x  i  s- 
tence,  a  n  d-t  h  a  t-of-all-the- 
quadruped-kind,  which-were 
together-him    i  n-the-thebah 
(sheltering  abode)  :  and-he- 
cause  d-to-move-over,    HE- 
the-Gods,  a-breath  on-the- 
earth  :    a  n  d-t  h  e  y-were- 
checked,  the-waters. 

2.  And-t  h  e  y-were-shut- 
np  the-springs  of-the-deep's 
infinite  -  potential  -power, 
and-the-multiplying-quatern- 
ions  of-heavens :  a  n  d-w  a  s- 
wholly-exhausted   t  h  e-mas- 
sy-shower  (waterish  atmos- 
phere falling  down)    from- 
the-heavens. 


1.  Et-il-se-rappela,  LUI- 
1  e  s-Dieux,  la-s6ite-de-Aroa/i, 
et-celle-de-toute  -  1'existence- 
terrestre,  e  t-celle-de-toute- 
1  e-genre-quadrupede,  q  u  17 
etaient  ensemble-lui  dans 
la-thebah  (la  place  de  re- 
fuge) :  et-il-fit  passer-d'une- 
extremite-a-1'autre,  L  u  i-les- 
Dieux  un-souffle  sur-la-ter- 
re :  e  t-f  urent-resserrees-en- 
elles-menies  les-eaux. 

2.  Et-furent-ferme'es  les- 
sourcas  d  e-1  a-puissance-d' 
etre-indefinie,  ^t-les-forces- 
quaternisantes  -  multiplicat- 
rices  d  e  s-cieux :  et-fut-en- 
tierement-c  onsomm^e  la- 
chute-d'e  a  u  (1'atmosphere 
opaissie  tombant)  des-cieux. 


by  the  emphatic  sign  P  or  PH,  has  produced  pal  or  phal,  whence  Is 
derived  in  French,  the  ancient  word  pal,  changed  to  picu,  and  in 
Latin,  the  word  "phallus"  copied  from  the  Greek  <f>a\\6i  which,  as 
one  knows,  characterizes  the  sign  of  masculinity.  But  among  the 
Celts,  a  pal,  was  a  sort  of  monumental  post  raised  in  any  place  what- 
ever to  serve  for  rallying;  from  there  the  word  appeal,  and  the 
French  words  appeler  and  rappeler. 

"Ori\  and-he-caused-to-move-over . . . .  The  verb  1*33?  means,  liter- 
ally speaking,  to  pass  beyond,  to  go  to  the  other  side.  I  have 
been  obliged  to  change  its  form  which  is  positive  in  Hebrew,  to  show 
the  force  of  the  superactive  movement  rendered  active  in  this  in- 
•tance. 


224         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


3.     Wa-i  a  s  h  u  b  o  u    ha-     rjl^H  pNH  ^0  D>£D 
maim  ma-hal  ha-aretz   hal- 

och    wa*hAb    wa-ahesserou     "Vj??   DTO  npn»)  31*) 
ha-maim  mi-ketzeh  ha-mis-  •  QV  DNQ1 

Mm  w-math  iom. 


"!,  and-they-were-checked The  root  TjX  which  develops  all 

ideas  of  repression,  of  compression,  of  drawing  into  itself,  ruled 
by  the  sign  of  relative  movement  V,  forms  the  verb  here  referred  to 
"pitf  or  "jW  :  this  verb  depicts  in  most  decisive  manner  the  action 
of  the  Divine  breath  upon  the  watery  swelling:  for  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  it  is  in  consequence  of  the  absence  of  this  breath  that 
the  waters  had  been  dilated;  that  is  to  say,  abandoned  to  their  own 
impulse.  It  deals  now  with  reestablishing  the  broken  equilibrium, 
and  it  is  this  which  Moses  expresses  admirably  by  the  verb  TjW  .  I 
am,  furthermore,  only  the  translator  of  this  great  man.  The  verb 
check  -which  comes  from  the  same  source  as  the  Hebraic,  renders  very 
well  this  meaning. 

v.  2.  All  these  terms  have  been  explained.  Refer  to  v.  11  and 
12  of  the  preceding  chapter. 

v.  3.  !QE?VI,  and-they-restored-themselves-as-formerly I  have 

often  had  occasion  to  speak  of  the  root  DE?  which  brings  with 
it  every  idea  of  return  and  of  reestablishment.  The  radical  verb 
312? ,  which  is  formed  from  it,  is  employed  here  according  to  the 
positive  form,  active  movement,  future  tense  made  past  by  the  con- 
vertible sign  1»  One  finds  a  little  later  on,  this  same  verb  used  in 
the  nominal  and  united  to  the  verb  Tfbn  to  go  before,  to  be  carried 
to  and  fro,  to  indicate  a  contrary  movement.  Now  this  singular 
phrase  3*B1  "jl^TJ  is  very  remarkable  in  what  it  seems  to  indicate 
in  the  seas,  and  in  the  waters  which  covered  the  earth,  in  general, 
that  alternating  movement  of  going  and  coming,  which  the  modern 
physicists  have  begun  to  suspect. 

Concerning  the  four  original  translators  whose  versions  are  ever 
before  my  eyes,  two  have  evaded  the  sense  of  this  phrase  and  two 
have  felt  it.  The  Samaritan,  not  understanding  what  this  alternat- 
ing movement  impressed  upon  the  waves  could  be,  has  said,  corrupt- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  225 

3.      A  n  d-t  h  e  y- restored-  3.       Et-revinrent-a-1  e  u  r- 

themselves-as-formerly,  the-  premier-etat  les-eaux  de-des- 

waters,   from-over-the-earth,  sus-la-terre  du  movement  d' 

by-the-g  o  i  n  g-off    and-the-  a  1 1  e  r-e  n-avant  et-de-reve- 

coming  back :  and  -  they-  nir-s  u  r-s  o  i :  e  t-elles-se-re- 

withdrew      (they     shrunk)  tirerent-en-elles-memes,  les 

the-waters,  a  t-t  he-end    of-  eaux,    au-bout-de-cinq-de- 

five  -  tens   a  n  d-one-hundred  cuples  e  t-u  n  e-centaine  de- 

of-day    (manifested  univer-  jour    (de  manifestation  lu- 

sal  light).  uiineuse,  universelle). 


ing  the  text  *  '  '^V     '32,  theywent. 

end-returned,  and-were-abated,    the-waters which    the    Hellenists, 

faithful  in  following  the  most  vulgar  meaning,  have  imitated.  But  the 
Chaldean,  adhering  closer  to  the  text,  has  translated  this  passage  very 

clearly yovn  V^TN **»   ^m :     and-they-were-restored- 

in-their-primitive-state,    the-uxiters going-and-returning-alternate- 

\y In  which  it  has  been  followed  by  the  author  of  the  Vulgate. 

IIDH"!,   and-they-withdrew The   root    Cln     from   which   this 

verb  comes,  merits  the  attention  of  the  reader;  through  it,  he 
can  gradually  penetrate  the  thought  of  Moses  pertaining  to  the 
physical  causes  of  the  deluge.  This  root  is  composed  of  the  sign 
of  elementary  existence  n,  image  of  the  travail  of  Nature,  united  to 
the  sign  of  circular  movement,  and  of  all  circumscription  D.  It 
develops  in  its  verbal  state  the  action  of  conquering  one's  self;  of 
experiencing  a  sentiment  of  sorrow  and  contrition;  of  shrinking. 
The  sign  of  movement  proper  1,  being  joined  to  this  root  to  form 
the  derivative  verb  Tien,  only  adds  to  the  force  of  this  expression 
which  is  quite  accurately  rendered  by  the  word  shrink.  I  observe 
that  the  hierographic  writer,  after  having  displayed  all  the  resources 
of  the  Hebraic  tongue,  to  depict  the  dilatation  and  swelling  of  the 
waters,  neglects  none  of  the  means  afforded  in  the  literal  sense,  as 
•well  as  in  the  figurative  or  hieroglyphic,  to  express  with  the  same 
energy  their  shrinking  and  their  contraction. 

v.  4.      nni,  and-it-rested It   Is   not   without   purpose    that 

Moses  employs  the  verb  H13,  which  comes  from  the  same  root  aa 
the  name  of  Noah,  to  express  the  repose  of  the  thebah  which  bears 
this  cosmogonic  personage. 


226         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


4.     Wa-thanah  ha-thebah    »y»3#n  trjrQ   njflPr  mrn 

^rri£  •»  w  «• 

desh  hal-harei  Ararat. 


n.  the-seventh....  It  should  not  be  forgotten  that,  in 
a  work  of  this  nature,  issued  from  the  Egyptian  sanctuaries,  all  the 
•words  are  chosen  with  calculation  and  forethought.  I  have  taken 
care  to  explain,  as  much  as  possible,  the  meaning  of  the  Hebraic 
decade.  The  names  of  numbers  here  contain  great  mysteries;  they 
are  far  from  being  limited  to  cold  dates,  as  the  vulgar  translators 
have  thought.  They  must  be  examined.  It  is  necessary  to  remem- 
ber for  example,  that  number  seven  22W ,  is  always  that  of  the  con- 
summation of  things  and  times.  The  thebah,  which  was  put  in 
movement  in  the  second  lunar  renewal,  is  stopped  in  the  seventh. 
Now,  we  ought  to  know  also,  that  number  two  ]<33,  is  the  emblem  of 
every  mutation,  of  every  transition,  and  of  every  passing  from  one 
state  to  another.  -'  -•-"— 

to  VIM,   of-Ararat Here  is  a  word   which   would  afford  a 

vast  subject  for  commentary,  but  I  have  resolved  to  limit  myself  to 
translating.  All  peoples  who  have  preserved  the  memory  of  the 
deluge,  and  nearly  all  have  preserved  it,  have  not  failed  to  relate 
the  name  of  the  alleged  mountain  upon  which  rested  the  mysterious 
thebah,  which  bore  within  it  the  hope  of  nature  and  the  seed  of  a 
new  existence.  Nicholas  of  Damas,  cited  by  Josephus,  called  it 
Mount  Barris,  a  name  which  is  not  very  unlike  that  of  Syparis  or 
Sypara,  which  Berosus  gave  to  that  city  of  the  sun,  in  which  an 
Assyrian  monarch  deposited  the  archives  of  the  world  when  he  knew 
that  the  catastrophe  of  the  flood  was  imminent.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  Greeks  called  Xvjco/M6t,  the  luminous  mountain,  the  place 
on  Parnassus  where  Deucalion  rested;  but  perhaps  it  is  not  generally 
known  that  the  Americans  had  also  a  celebrated  mountain,  upon 
which  they  declared  that  the  remnants  of  mankind  had  taken  refuge, 
and  whose  name  they  consecrated  by  the  erection  of  a  temple  de- 
dicated to  the  sun.  This  name  was  Olagmi.  It  would  certainly 
be  very  easy  for  me  to  prove  that  these  names,  more  or  less  direct 
all  have  a  connection  with  the  course  of  light;  but  without  citing, 
at  this  moment,  other  tongues  than  the  Hebraic,  let  us  content  our- 
selves with  examining  the  word  which  is  the  subject  of  this  nota 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  227 

4.    And-it-rested,  the-the-  4.     Et-elle-se-reposa,    la- 

bahj  in-t  h  e-moon-renewing  thebah,     dans-le-renouvelle- 

the-s  e  v  e  n  t  h,  by-the-seven-  ment-1  u  n  a  i  r  e  le-septieme, 

teenth   manifested-light   of-  au-dix-septidme  jour  de-ce- 

that-renewing,   on-the-  renouvellement,   sur- 

heights  of-Ararat  (reflected  les-sommets  de-1' Ararat   (le 

light's  stream).  cours  r6flechi  de  la  lumi- 

ere). 


and  in  which  the  thoughtless  savants  have  been  so  unfortunate  aa 
to  see  an  object  of  terror  or  of  malediction. 

This  word  is  composed  of  the  two  roots  to  Vllx  :  the  first  VK ,  is 
understood:  it  is  light  and  all  ideas  which  are  related  to  it.  The 
second,  131 ,  formed  of  the  signs  of  movement  proper  and  of  resist- 
ance, characterizes  a  course  accompanied,  inflected  or  directed  by 
anything  whatsoever.  Thence,  the  Chaldaic  verb  toim,  to  concur 
with  a  thing,  to  follow  it  in  its  course,  to  direct  it;  as  light  or  water, 
for  example;  thence,  the  Hebraic  word  toVH,  a  channel,  a  conduit, 
a  promenade;  thence,  the  Syriac  derivative  ^obt^io  an  inflection,  a 
reflection,  etc. 

After  this  explanation  one  can  feel  that  the  word  i:"N  ,  does 
not  signify  the  mount  of  malediction  or  of  terror,  as  has  been  be- 
lieved without  examination;  but  indeed  that  of  the  reflected  course 
of  light;  which  is  very  different.  Besides,  it  is  well  to  know  that 
the  Samaritan  translator,  the  most  ancient  interpreter  of  Moses,  has 
not  rendered  the  word  tmx ,  by  a  simple  transcription  of  the 
characters,  as  it  seems  that  he  might  have  done,  had  he  thought 
that  this  was  simply  a  proper  name  of  the  Mount,  but  he  has  trans- 
lated it  by  the  word  ^fft^^yf ,  which  differs  entirely.  The  re- 
semblance of  this  word  with  the  ancient  name  of  the  island  of 
Ceylon,  Serandip,  in  the  Sanskrit  tongue,  Sinhala-dwip,  has  caused 
some  savants  to  think  that  Moses  had  perhaps  designated  a  famous 
rock  which  commands  that  isle,  and  where  the  Brahmans  declare 
that  Buddha  or  Rama  has  left  the  imprint  of  his  foot:  but,  without 
combatting  this  opinion  wholly,  I  shall  state  that  this  word  appears 
to  be  composed  of  the  Chaldaic  and  Samaritan  words,  KJ"!C ,  axis, 
wheel,  orbit;  and  211  or  2"^  effluence,  emanation:  so  that  it  offers 
a  translation  quite  exact  of  the  sense  that  I  have  given  to  the  word 
ttllN  :  that  is  to  say,  instead  of  signifying  simply  the  reflected 
courte  of  light,  it  signifies  the  orbit  of  luminous  effluence. 


228        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


5.  W'ha-malm  haiou  ha- 
16dh  w'hassor  had  ha-ho- 
desh  ha-hashlrl:  ba-hasMrl 
b'aehad  1'hodesh  niraou  ra- 
shel  he-har!m. 


VH 


DHnn 


6.  Wa-lhl  mi-ketz  arba- 
him  i6m  :  wa-iphethah  Noah 
teth-hallon  ha-thebah  asher 
hashah  . 


nfl|)'    Di> 


7P} 
PU 


v.  5.        "l-IZ/yn,  the-tenth We  know  that  number  ten,    1EJ> 

is  that  of  aggregative  power,  of  efficient  elementary  force.  The 
words  which  compose  this  verse  and  in  general  all  those  of  this 
chapter,  are  chosen  with  such  art,  and  the  literal  meaning  connected 
and  blended  so  closely  with  the  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  meaning, 
that  it  .is  impossible  to  separate  them  without  weakening  or  destroy- 
ing them.  No  translation  can  give  the  force  of  the  original;  for  to 
attain  this,  it  would  be  necessary  to  find  words  which  might  always 
contain  three  distinct  ideas;  which  cannot  be  in  our  modern  tongues, 
where  the  separation  in  the  three  significations,  has  long  since  been 
made  by  derivatives  whose  analogy  is  no  longer  perceived.  Thus, 
for  example,  how  can  one  understand  all  that  Moses  intended  by 
these  words  B^m  TXT  ?  The  literal  sense  is,  the  heads,  the 
summits  of  the  mountains;  the  figurative  sense,  the  principles,  the 
beginnings  of  pregnancies;  the  hieroglyphic  sense,  the  principiations 
of  elementary  conceptions.  All  that  I  can  do  when  it  presents  these 
difficulties  is  to  manreuvre,  as  it  were,  among  the  three  meanings, 
furnishing  the  reader  with  all  means  possible  to  penetrate  them,  if 
he  will  take  the  pains  to  do  so. 

v.   6.      jftn ,    the-opening As    this    word    is    written    with 

the   character    n    as   initial,   it  does   not  appear  to  have   any   other 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


229 


5.  And-the-waters  were 
by-the-going-off  and-by-the- 
withdrawing,  till-the-moon- 
renewing  the-tenth:  and-in- 
that-tenth,  by-the-first  of- 
the-renewing  were-seen  the- 
heads  of-the-hills  (princi- 
ples of  nature's  pregnan- 
cies, foremost  elementari- 
ties). 


6.  And-it-was,  at-the-de- 
termined-end  o  f-t  h  e-great- 
quaternion  of-day  that-he- 
unfastened,  Noah,  the-open- 
ing  ot-the-thebah,  which  he- 
had-made. 


5.  Et-les-eaux  furent  du- 
mouvement-d'aller-en-avant 
e  t-d  e-celui-de-se-netirer-en- 
elles-m£  m  e  s,  jusqu'au  re- 
nouvellement-lunaire    le-di- 
xieme ;      et-dans-ce-dixieme, 
a  u-premier     d  u-renouvelle- 
ment  furent-vues  les-t  e  t  e  s 
des-montagnes    (les  princi- 
pes  d  e  s-enfantemens  natu- 
rels,   les  premices  des  ele- 
mens). 

6.  Et-ce-fut  a-la-fin-d6- 
termin6e    d  u-grand-quater- 
naire  de-jour,  qu'il-degagea, 
Noah,  1'ouverture  de-la-Me- 
bah,  qu'il-avait-faite. 


meaning  than  that  of  opening,  being  derived  from  the  root  bn  which 
develops  the  idea  of  a  distention,  a  solution,  a  separation  operated 
with  force;  but  if,  as  it  might  very  well  be,  this  initial  character 
had  been  in  the  original  only  the  determinative  article  ."1,  which  the 
negligence  of  certain  copyists  might  have  caused  to  be  confused  with 
its  analogue  n,  then  the  word  }ibn,  instead  of  signifying  on  open- 
ing, would  signify  a  nocturnal  light,  a  night-light;  that  is  to  say,  a 
lamp  destined  to  lighten  the  night,  and  which  Noah  might  at  first 
have  released  from  the  thebah  to  lighten  the  darkness. 

I  take  this  opportunity,  which  has  perhaps  more  importance 
than  one  imagines,  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  French 
word  lune,  formed  from  the  Latin  "luna",  is  derived  from  the  word 
\b,  referred  to  in  this  note,  and  that  it  means  as  I  have  indicated, 
a  nocturnal  light,  a  night-light.  The  Arabic  analogue  employed  as 
verb,  expresses  the  action  of  colouring,  adorning,  distinguishing,  etc. 


v.  7.    31J?n,   Ereb I   am   well   aware   that   the   Hellenists, 

and  after  them,  the  author  of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  have  seen  in  Ereb, 
that  famed  Ereb  of  ancient  cosmogonies,  only  a  simple  raven:  trans- 
forming thus  a  vast  and  mysterious  idea  into  an  idea  petty  and 


230        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

7.     Wa-lshallah    seth-ha-    tfjy   xy^l  3~iyi7~n? 
horeb,   wa-ietza   iotzost   wa- 

Bh6b  Lad  Ibosheth  ha-malm    ^  «W  «PHV  31*} 
me-hal  ha-aretz. 


8.    Wa-ishallah    SBth-ha-    nlN"V?  IflNO  !W.Tfi 
ionah  me-aith-6  Ii-ra6th  ho- 
kallou    ha-maim    me-hal 
phenel  ha-adamah. 


ridiculous:  but  I  am  also  aware  that  these  same  Hellenists  -who 
worked  upon  the  version  which  bears  the  name  of  Septuagint,  Es- 
senes,  and  consequently  initiates  in  the  oral  law,  penetrated  the 
hieroglyphic  meaning  of  the  Sepher  deeply  enough  not  to  be  the 
dupes  of  such  a  metamorphosis.  One  cannot  read  them  with  any 
kind  of  attention  without  discovering  their  perplexity.  Not  know- 
ing how  to  disguise  the  periodic  returns  of  this  alleged  bird,  and 
fearing  that  the  truth  might  shine  forth  in  spite  of  them,  they  de- 
cided to  change  completely  the  original  text  and  be  delivered  of  this 
Ereb  which  perturbed  them,  by  saying  that  the  raven  being  sent 
forth  returned  no  more,  oiix  inter  pej/ev.  But  in  this  instance, 
everything  betrays  their  pious  fraud.  The  Samaritan  text  agrees 
with  the  Hebraic  text  and  makes  it  unassailable;  the  Samaritan 
Version  and  the  Chaldaic  Targum  say  alike  that  Ereb,  given  liberty, 
takes  an  alternating  movement  of  going  forth  and  coming  back; 
finally  Saint  Jerome,  forced  to  recognize  this  truth,  can  only  weaken 
the  force  of  the  phrase  by  saying,  without  doubling  the  first  verb 
and  changing  their  temporal  modification  of  it,  "qui  egrediebatur  et 
revertebatur." 

It  must  be  remembered  that  to  reveal  the  depth  of  this  hierogly- 
phic expression,  this  Ereb  was  not  set  at  liberty,  and  did  not  take 
this  periodic  movement  until  after  the  release  of  the  nocturnal  light 
referred  to  in  the  preceding  verse. 


v.  8.  l-OlYI,  Ionah  ----  Here  again  is  an  emblem  famous 
in  ancient  cosmogonies;  emblem,  that  the  Greek  and  Latin  inter- 
preters have  again  presented  under  the  least  of  its  characteristics; 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


231 


7.  And-he-let-out  what- 
constitutes  Ereb  (westerly 
darkness )  that-issued-forth 
by-the-issuing  a  n  d-periodi- 
cally-repairing,  till-the-dry- 
ing-up  of-the-waters  from- 
off-the-earth. 


8.  An  d-n  e  x  t-he-let-out 
the-selfsameness  of-7  on  ah 
(the  brooding  dove,  nature's 
plastic  power)  from-his- 
own-self;  to-see  if-they-be- 
came-light,  the-waters,  from- 
over  the-face  of-the-adamic. 


7.  Et-il-laissa-aller  (il 
1  a  c  h  a)    c  e-qui-constitue-1' 
Erebe    (1'obscurite  occiden- 
tale)    qui-sortit    du-mouve- 
ment-de-sortir  et-de-revenir- 
periodiquementjusqu'audes- 
s6chement  des-eaux  de-des- 
sus-la-terre. 

8.  Et-ensuite-il-laissa-al- 
ler  ce-q  u  i-constitue-l'/ona/i 
(la  colombe  g6n£ratrice,  la 
force  plastique  de  la  na- 
ture)    d  e  h  o  r  s-d'avec-lui ; 
pour-voir-si-e  lies  se-faisa- 
ient  legeres,  les-eaux,  de- 
dessus    la-face-de-P61ement- 
adamique. 


under  that  of  a  dove.  It  is  indeed  true  that  the  Hebrew  -word 
n3*'  ,  signifies  a  dove,  but  it  is  in  the  same  manner  that  the  word 
2*y,  signifies  a  raven;  that  is  to  say,  that  the  names  of  these  two 
birds  have  been  given  them,  in  a  restricted  sense,  in  consequence  of 
the  physical  or  moral  analogies  which  have  been  imagined  between 
the  primitive  signification  attached  to  the  words  DIP  and  rO'P,  and 
the  apparent  qualities  of  the  raven  and  the  dove.  The  blackness  of 
Ereb,  its  sadness,  the  avidity  with  which  it  is  believed  that  it  de- 
vours the  beings  which  fall  into  its  pale,  could  they  be  better  char- 
acterized than  by  a  dark  and  voracious  bird  such  as  the  raven?  The 
whiteness  of  the  dove  on  the  contrary,  its  gentleness,  its  inclination 
to  love,  did  not  these  qualities  suggest  it  as  emblem  of  the  generative 
faculty,  the  plastic  force  of  Nature?  It  is  well  known  that  the  dove 
was  the  symbol  of  Semiramis,  of  Derceto,  of  Mylitta,  of  Aphrodite, 
and  of  all  the  allegorical  personages  to  whom  the  ancients  attributed 
the  generative  faculty,  represented  by  this  bird.  This  emblem  ap- 
pears to  have  been  known  from  most  ancient  times,  by  the  Brahmans, 
by  the  Chaldeans,  and  even  by  the  Sabaean  priests  of  Arabia.  It  is 
known  that  at  the  time  when  Mohammed  entered  victorious  into 
Mecca,  he  caused  an  image  of  the  dove,  sculptured  in  the  temple  of 
that  celebrated  city,  to  be  broken  by  the  hands  of  All.  In  short, 


232         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


9.   w-ioa  matzah  ha-   -tp«?  nto  rwn  nxyp 

ionah   manoah  Tchaph-rag* 

h  e  1-h  a-,  wa-thashab  <elai-6     ' 

sel-ha-thebah  chi-maim  hal-     rfyp*\  fWrr'pD  ^S'^V  D'O 

phenei   chol-ha-aretz   wa-is-          ' 

helah   lad  A    wa-ikkah-ha 

wa-iaba  aoth-ha  selai-6  sel- 

ha-thebah. 


if  one  open  any  ancient  book  treating  of  religious  mysteries,  he  will 
find  therein  traces  of  the  veneration  of  the  peoples  for  the  dove. 
Assyria  was  particularly  characterized  by  this  bird  and  it  can  be 
inferred  from  a  passage  in  Isaiah  (v.  6.  ch.  XX)  that  it  was  an 
ensign  for  the  Assyrians.  But  let  us  return  to  its  Hebraic  name  the 
etymology  of  which  is  a  matter  of  importance. 

It  is  evident  that  the  name  of  Ionia,  that  famous  country  claimed 
equally  by  Europe  and  Asia,  comes  from  the  same  source  as  this 
word  n3*.V  The  Chaldaic  and  Hebrew  "p,  •:'",  or  *WT,  always 
designate  Greece,  or  that  which  belongs  to  her:  these  are  the  Greek 
analogues,  'Iwvfa,  'lawxii.  For,  if  we  examine  Greece,  concerning 
the  inner  meaning  of  the  name  which  she  gives  herself,  we  shall  find 
that  she  attaches  to  the  word  'Iwwieit,  all  ideas  of  softness,  sweet- 
ness and  amorous  langour,  which  we  attach  to  that  of  the  dove;  if 
we  go  further  and  explore  in  Greek  itself  the  root  of  this  word,  we 
shall  see  that  this  root,  'lov  or  'Iwr,  contains  in  that  tongue,  the 
ideas  of  cultivated,  fertile  land;  of  productive  soil;  of  existing  being, 
in  general;  of  the  violet,  flower  consecrated  to  Juno,  etc. 

Now  what  do  we  find  in  the  Hebraic  root  "j*.*  ?  We  find,  in  gen- 
eral, the  idea  of  a  thing  indeterminate,  soft,  sweet,  easy  to  receive 
all  forms,  and  in  particular,  a  clayey,  ductile  land.  If,  following 
our  method,  we  proceed  to  the  hieroglyphic  sense,  and  if  we  examine 
the  signs  of  which  this  root  is  composed,  we  shall  easily  find  in 
}*.* ,  the  mysterious  root  ''IX ,  where  the  sign  of  manifestation  * ,  has 
replaced  the  sign  of  power  X  :  so  that,  if  the  root  "X  designates 
indefinite  being,  the  root  "p  will  designate  this  same  being  passing 
from  power  into  action. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  233 

9.    A  n  d  -  n  o  t    it-found,  9.     Et-non-pas    elle-trou- 

lonah  (nature's  plastic  pow-  va,  Vlonah  (la  colombe  ge- 

er),  a  place-of-rest  to-bend  neratrice),  u  n-lieu-de-repos 

(to    impart)     the-breeding-  p  o  u  r-inflechir    (communi- 

motion-its  own:  and-it-re-  quer)     1  e  -  mouvement-sien : 

turned  u  n  t  o-h  i  m,  toward-  et-elle-retourna   devers-1  u  i, 

t  h  e-thcbah,   because-of-the-  veTS-la.-thebah;    a-cause-que 

waters-being  on-the-face  of-  les-eaux   etaient   sur-la-face 

the-whole-e  a  r  t  h :  an  d-he-  de-toute-la-terre :  et-il-eten- 

put-forth  the-hand  (the  pow-  dit  la-main-sienne  (sa  puis- 

er)  -his-own ;     and-he-t  o  o  k-  sance)  et-il-retira-elle ;  et-il- 

it-up ;    a  n  d-he-caused-it-to-  fit-aller    elle-meme    devers- 

come  unto-him  toward-the-  lui,  vers  la-thebah. 
thebah. 


Have  we  still  need  of  other  proofs  to  know  that  the  word  Hi*" 
expresses  the  generative  faculty  of  Nature?  We  shall  see  that  in 
Hebrew,  the  compound  word  ntfTX  ,  signifies  desire  of  amorous 
pleasures;  and  that  one  understands  by  the  words  C^J>  n^'T ,  a  song, 
tender,  melodious  and  capable  of  inspiring  love. 

If  I  have  entered  into  so  great  details  concerning  the  word  ,13',* 
It  Is  because  it  holds  very  closely  to  the  history  of  Nature,  and  be- 
cause the  reader  -will  perhaps  be  interested  to  learn  that  the  name 
of  this  soft  Ionia,  from  which  we  have  imbibed  all  that  we  have 
which  is  delightful  in  art  and  brilliant  in  knowledge,  is  attached,  on 
the  one  side  to  the  mysterious  dove  of  Moses,  to  that  of  Semiramis; 
and  loses  itself  on  the  other,  in  that  sacred  emblem  called  Yoni 
by  the  Brahrnans;  Yng,  by  the  Chinese  Tao-teh,  over  which  It  is 
necessary  that  I  draw  an  impenetrable  veil. 

v.  9.  IT.32,  a-place-of-rest This  word  is  remarkable  be- 
cause it  is  attached  to  the  name  itself  of  Noah. 

"biTs-pb ,  to-bend-the-breeding-motion4ts-own This  is  an 

expression  with  double  and  even  triple  meaning,  according  to  the 
literal,  figurative  or  hieroglyphic  relation  under  which  it  is  con- 
sidered. The  root  ?p,  which  composes  the  first  word,  contains  the 
idea  of  bending,  of  inflection,  of  cavity:  it  is,  in  a  restricted  sense, 
the  palm  of  the  hand,  or  the  sole  of  the  foot.  The  root  Hi,  from 
which  the  second  comes,  develops  every  idea  of  organic  movement. 
United  to  the  directive  sign  V.  it  expresses,  figuratively,  every  con- 


234         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
10.     Wa-iahel  hod  shibe-     DHH^  D>0>  HIDtP  "Ity 


min-ha-thebah. 


11.  Wa-thaboa  sekd.-6  ha 
lonah  1'heth  hereb:  w'hin- 
neh  holeh  zaltli  taraph  b' 
phi-ha  wa-ledah  Noah  chi-  *  fHNn  "TtfO  D'/DH 
kallou  ha-na!m  me-hal  ha- 
aretz. 


tinued  action,  every  movement,  every  effort  of  the  body  or  the  soul 
toward  a  physical  or  moral  object:  literally,  it  is  the  foot,  or  the 
foot-print.  Now,  if  in  the  word  rui"1,  one  sees  only  a  dove,  one  must 
see  only  the  bending  of  its  foot  in  the  words  nb:n  «"pb :  but,  if  by 
the  one  is  understood,  as  it  should  be,  a  generative  faculty,  by  the 
others  would  be  understood,  the  communication,  the  application  of  the 
generative  movement  to  this  same  faculty. 

VV,  t he-hand-his-own . . . .  Another  similar  expression.  If  Noah 
is  a  man  of  flesh  and  bones  as  the  Hellenists  feign  to  believe, 
nothing  is  more  simple  than  making  him  stretch  out  his  hand  to 
seize  a  bird  and  shut  it  up  in  his  boat:  but,  if  this  is  a  cosmogonic 
personage  representing  the  repose  of  Nature,  and  the  conservator  of 
elementary  existence,  it  is  its  protective  power  which  it  uses  to 
draw  unto  itself  a  faculty  that  it  has  sent  forth  prematurely.  The 
root  T  ,  which  in  a  very  restricted  sense  characterizes  the  hand, 
designates  in  a  broader  sense,  every  manifestation  of  power,  of  ex- 
ecutive force,  of  ministry,  etc. 

v.   10.    These   terms  present   no   difficulties. 

v.     11.        D"lj>  nrb ,     at-the-same-time-Ereb The     Hellenists 

seeing  reappear  here  this  same  Ereb  which  they  had  travestied  as 
a  raven,  and  of  which  it  was  said  positively  that  it  returned  no 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


235 


10.     And-he-waited  yet-a- 
septenary    of-days    more; 


10.     Et-il-attendit  encore 
un-septenaire  de-jours  aut- 


a  n  d  -  he-added   the  -  letting-    res  ;    e  t-i  l-ajouta-l'&nission 
forth    of-that-same-7  on  ah,     de-cette-meme-/ona/i,    hors- 


from-out-the-f/ie&aft. 

11.  And-it-came  toward- 
hira,  I  on  ah  (the  brooding 
dove)  at-the-same-time  Ereb 
(as  a  dove  flying  off  from 
the  raven)  and-lo!  a-bough 
of-olive-tree  (elevated  pro- 
duct of  the  fiery  essence) 
plucked-of  f  i  n-t  h  e-mouth- 
its-own  (seized  by  her  be- 
getting faculty):  thus-he- 
knew,  Noah  (nature's  rest) 
t  h  a  t-t  h  e  y-lightened,  the- 
waters,  from-off-the-earth. 


de-la.-thebah. 

11.  Et-elle-v  i  n  t  devers- 
lui,  Ylonah,  (la  colombe  g6- 
ne>atrice)  a  u-temps-m£me 
de-VErebe  (au  retour  de  1' 
obscurite  occidentale)  e  t- 
v  o  i  c  i  un-rameau  d'olivier 
(une  Elevation  de  Tessence 
ign£e)  d6tach£  dans-le-bec- 
a-elle  (saisi  par  sa  force 
conceptive)  :  ainsi-il-connut, 
Noah  (le  repos  de  1'exis- 
tence)  que-s'all£geaient  les- 
eaux,  de-dessus-la-terre. 


more,  have  assumed  the  part  of  ignoring  it  completely.  The  author 
of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  being  unable  to  do  such  great  violence  to  the 
Hebrew  text,  is  contented  with  changing  it,  seeing  no  longer  a 
raven  in  the  word  3^3?,  but  simply  a  part  of  the  day  and  In  saying 
that  the  dove  came  back  at-even-tide,  "ad  vesperam". 


by,  a-bough  of-olive-tree  ----  This  again,  is  a  symbolic 
expression,  to  which  is  given  a  meaning  relative  to  the  one  which 
has  been  given  to  the  word  ru**.  If  in  this  one  is  seen  a  dove, 
pure  and  simple,  in  the  other  two  will  be  seen  an  olive  branch,  a 
generative  force  of  Nature,  and  one  is  led  to  understand,  an  eleva- 
tion of  igneous  essence.  It  is  the  same  with  the  word  *C,  which 
in  either  case  is  taken  for  the  beak  of  the  bird,  or  for  the  conceptive 
force  of  the  moral  being.  Such  was  the  genius  of  the  Egyptian 
language,  whose  most  secret  sources  had  been  opened  to  Moses. 

I  have  explained  in  another  passage  the  various  significations 
attached  to  the  word  rby,  whose  root  \>y  designates,  in  general, 
that  which  is  superior,  sublime;  that  which  is  raised  above  another 


236         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


12.    Wa-ifahel  hod  shibe-     DHRN  D'O* 
hath  iamifm    aherlm   wa-is- 
hallah   arth-ha-Idnah,    Wloa     n^'J^ 
lassephah  shoub-aelal-o  hod. 


13.    Wa-Jhi   b'ahath   w' 
shesh-maoth  shanah  ba-ri£- 
shon  b'fehad  la-hodesh  bar- 
bou  h  a-m  a  1  m  me-hal  ha~     -nj<  nj  -|pvj  ptfR-^D  D'DR 
aretz,  wa-iassar  Noah  aeth- 

michesseh  ha-t  h  e  b  a  h  wa-     ^T?  n^)  ^"|!1  H^nR  RD?0 
iara  w'hinneh   harbou  phe-  .  j-fD"l^R  ^3 

nei  ha-adamah.  T  T ":  T 


thing.  The  word  JVT  signifies  clearly  in  its  literal  sense,  an  olive, 
an  olive-tree;  but  it  signifies  in  its  figurative,  not  only  oil,  but  ac- 
cording to  its  hieroglyphic  sense,  the  luminous  essence  of  a  thing. 
It  comes  from  the  root  rv.X ,  which  characterizes  the  essence  in 
general,  contracted  with  the  root  *',  whose  object  is  to  depict  that 
which  shines  and  is  reflected  as  the  light. 

v.  12.      All  these  terms  are  understood  or  easy  to  understand. 

v.  13.  "ifiXD ,  in-the-unity . . . .  This  number  is  the  symbol  of 
the  stability  of  things.  Moses  uses  it  twice  in  this  verse,  where  he 
indicates  the  beginning  of  a  new  existence  and,  as  it  were,  the 
awakening  of  nature.  Attention  should  be  given  to  the  fact  that 
number  seven,  which  characterizes  the  consummation  of  things  and 
end  of  temporal  periods,  is  employed  in  the  preceding  verse. 

y5tf*na,    in-the-very-principle This    is    the    word        EN1,  to 

which  Moses  adds  designedly  the  extensive  syllable  ]\ .  What  I  have 
said  concerning  this  root  can  be  seen  in  v.  1,  ch.  I. 

12-lD,    that-they-wasted The    verb    D'lPl     which    appears 

twice. in  this  verse  in  speaking  of  the  waters,  is  worthy  of  notice. 
It  does  not  signify  to  be  dried  up,  as  the  Latin  translator  has  ap- 
peared to  believe,  but  to  be  destroyed,  to  leave  off,  to  waste,  as  the 
Hellenists  have  better  interpreted  ^Awre  rb  CSwp  .  The  Hebraic 
verb  3*in  belonging  to  the  root  in,  which  characterizes  elementary, 
devouring  heat,  an  igneous  focus,  contains  the  idea  of  devastation, 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


237 


12.    And-he-waited  yet  a- 
septenary  of-days  more; 


12.     Et-il-attendit  encore 
un-septenaire  de-jours  aut- 


a  n  d-h  e-s  e  n  t-forth  that-  res;  et-il-laissa-aller  cette- 
Btime-Ionah,  and-not-did-it-  m£me  lonah,  et-non-pas  el- 
add  t  h  e-repairing  toward-  la-ajouta  le-retour  vers-lui 
him  again.  encore. 

13.  Et-ce-fut  dans-1'unite" 
e  t-s  i  x  centaines  de-muta- 
tion-temporelle,  d  a  n  s  - 1  e- 
principe  au-premier  du-re- 
nouvellement  -  lunaire-que-s' 
userent  (se  d£firent)  les- 
eaux  de-dessus-la-terre:  et- 
il-eleva,  Noah,  le-comble  de- 
IsL-thebah,  et-il-consid4ra  et- 
voici!  qu'elles-s'usaient  (les 
eaux)  des-faces  de  P616- 
ment-adamique. 


13.  A  n  d-i  t-was  in-the- 
unity  and-six-hundreds  of- 
revolving-c  h  a  n  g  e,  in-the- 
very-principle,  by-t  h.  e-f irst 
of-the-moon-renewing,  that 
the  y-w  a  s  t  e  d,  the-waters, 
from-off-the-earth :  and-he- 
reared-np,  N  o  a  h,  the-shel- 
tering^o  f-t  h  e-thebah,  and- 
h  e-d  i  d-k  e  n,  and  lo !  that- 
wasted  (the  waters)  from- 
off-the-faces  of-the-adamic. 


of  ravage,  of  total  exhaustion.      The  word  waste  renders  the  Hebrew 
with  exactitude. 

"ID^,  and-he-reared-up This  expression  is  very  remark- 
able. Whether  one  takes  the  radical  verb  TIC,  or  one  of  the  com- 
pound radical  verbs  TiC"  or  TD3,  it  will  always  signify  to  rear  up, 
in  the  sense  of  instructing,  educating,  training  in  knowledge.  Moses, 
in  making  use  of  this  amphibological  expression,  with  regard  to  a 
sheltering  has  no  doubt  had  the  intention  of  making  it  understood, 
that  the  word  nC3tt,  ought  not  to 'be  taken  in  the  literal  and  material 
sense  which  it  presents  at  first  glance.  All  that  I  can  do  as  its 
interpreter,  is  to  acquaint  one  with  its  purpose.  I  have  said  that 
the  thebah,  to  which  belongs  this  shelter  or  this  vaulted  superficies, 
was  neither  a  boat  nor  an  ark,  nor  a  coffer,  but  a  mysterious  refuge. 


v.  14.     n^D",   was-dried-up I   only   cite   this   word   to  show 

that  Moses  puts  it  in  its  place,  and  that  his  translators  have  been 
wrong  in  confusing  it,  as  they  have  done,  with  the  verb  2*.in,  of 
which  I  spoke  in  the  preceding  verse.  It  was  essential  before  an- 
nouncing the  drying  up  of  the  land,  to  say  that  the  waters,  having 


238        THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

14.  W-ba-h o d e s h  ha- 
s  h  e  n  i  b'shibehah  w-heshe- 
rim  idm  la-hodesh  ibeshah 
ha-aretz. 


15.     Wa-idabber  ^lohim       •  -JDN1?  nj-^  rjtjf^  "OT1 
sel-Noah  Paemor: 


16.     Tzea  min-ha-thebah,     ^ntT       ring 
a  t  h  a  h !    w'aisheth-cha    w- 
b  a  n  e  i-cha    w-neshei-banei- 
6ha  aitha-cha. 


grown  less  and  lees,  or  destroyed,  had  disappeared  from  its  surface. 
If  one  will  give  attention  to  the  gradation  which  the  hierographic 
writer  observes,  from  the  great  swelling  which  causes  the  deluge  to 
the  entire  disappearance  of  the  waters,  it  will  be  found  wonderful. 
He  first  says  in  v.  I,  that  the  waters  were  checked  132?*;  and 
soon  in  v.  3,  that  they  restored  themselves  as  formerly,  IDE*;  these 
two  Hebrew  words  are  constructed  and  employed  with  such  an  art 
that  they  have  been  judged  the  same;  they  differ  only  by  the  sign  of 
interior  action  2,  which  in  this  one  has  replaced  the  assimilative 
and  centralizing  sign  D,  which  is  found  in  the  other.  Next,  In  v. 
4  and  5,  the  waters  experience  a  sort  of  libration,  of  periodic  move- 
ment of  going  and  coming,  and  as  it  were,  of  flux  and  reflux,  ^n 
D'EI  and  Ticm  ^ftp) ,  which  seems  to  depict,  in  particular,  the 
effect  of  the  seas,  and  in  general,  that  of  a  colossal  tidal  wave.  Then 
the  waters  become  more  and  more  abated,  l^pn  and  l^p ,  even  as  it 
is  said  in  v.  8  and  11;  and  when  at  last  they  are  wasted  by  this 
sort  of  friction,  done  away  with,  entirely  exhausted,  IDin ,  the  land 
is  dried  up,  yixn  nEDs .  Let  the  reader  who  recalls  with  what 
obstinacy  Moses  has  been  reproached  for  his  bad  natural  philosophy, 
examine  this  gradation  and  see  if  these  reproaches  would  not  apply 
better  to  his  slanderers. 

v.    15.     ID VI,  and-he-informed-by-the-speech The  two  con- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


239 


14.  And-i  n-the-moon-re- 
uewing  the-second,  in-the- 
seven  and-twentieth  day  of- 
that-renewing,  was-dried-up 
the-earth. 


14.  E  t-dans-le-renouvel- 
lement-lunaire  le-s  e  c  o  n  d, 
dans-le-vingt-septieme  jour- 
d  e-c  e-renouvellement  f  u  t- 
sechee  la-terre. 


15.  And-he-informed-by- 
the-speech,  HE-the-Gods,  to- 
ward-Ar  o  a  h,    pursuing-t  o- 
say: 

16.  Issue  from-t  h  e-the- 
bah     (sheltering     place), 
t  h  o  u,   and-the-intellectual- 
wife-of-theee     (thy    volitive 
faculty)    and-the-issued-off- 
spring-of-thee    a  n  d-the-cor- 
poreal-m  a  t  e  s  of-those-off- 
spring-of-t hee  (their  na- 
tural   faculties),    together- 
thee.) 


15.  Et-il-informa-par-la- 
parole,  L  u  i-les-Pieux,  en- 
vers-Noah,  selon-ce-dire : 


16.  Sors  (produis-toi  en 
dehors)  de  \a-tJicbah,  toi,  et- 
la-  femme-intellectuelle-a-toi 
(ta  faculte  volitive),  et  les- 
flls-a-toi  (tes  productions 
manifestoes),  et-les-6pouses- 
corporelles  des  -  fils  -  a  -  toi 
(leurs  facultOs  physiques), 
ensemble-toi. 


tracted  roots  "I2"3"l,  one  of  which  designates  a  course  and  the 
other  a  production,  form  the  compound  ID"),  which  signifies  literally 
an  effusion,  that  is  to  say,  an  exterior  thing  by  means  of  which  an 
interior  thing  is  made  manifest.  In  a  restricted  and  physical  sense, 
it  is  a  thing,  an  affair,  an  object,  a  word:  in  a  broad  and  moral 
sense,  it  is  an  idea,  a  speech,  a  discourse,  a  precept,  etc. 

v.    16.    XX,  issue The  word  issue  renders  well  the  Hebrew. 

I  have  explained  in  v.  12  ch.  I,  the  origin  and  force  of  this  verb, 
the  application  of  which  is  here  of  the  highest  importance. 

v.  17  and  18.  All  these  terms  have  been  explained:  if  I  give 
them  an  acceptation  a  little  different  from  what  they  seem  to  present, 
it  is  so  that  the  reader  may  be  able  to  grasp  belter  the  inner  mean- 
ing, and  that  he  may  become  familiar  with  the  genius  of  the  Hebraic 
tongue  in  particular,  and  in  general,  with  that  of  the  primitive 
tongues.  For  the  writers  of  these  remote  times,  restricted  to  the 
narrow  limits  of  an  original  tongue,  having  only  a  small  number  of 
words  at  their  disposal,  and  not  being  able  to  draw  elsewhere  the 


240         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


17.  Chol-ha-b.ai.ah  asher- 
aith-dha  michol-bashar  ba- 
hoph  ba-behemah  w-b'chol- 
ha-remesh  ha-romesh  hal- 
ha-aretz,  hawtzea  aith-cha 
w-shartzou  ba-aretz  w-pha- 
rou  w-rabou  hal-ha-aretz. 


18.  Wa-ietze4-N  o  a  h  V 
banal-6  w'aisheth-6  w-nes- 
hei  banai-6  aith-6. 


19.   Choi-ha-haiah    6hoi- 

ha-remesh  w-c  h  o  1-ha-hoph 
dhol  romesh  hal-ha-aretz  le- 
wishephehothevhem  iatzaou 
min-ha-thebah. 


_ 
FV  f  P     < 

;  ronrrfC 


. 
^  ^  1 


expressions  \vhich  they  needed,  were  obliged  to  attach  to  each  of 
these  words,  a  considerable  number  of  analogous  ideas,  literally  as 
well  as  figuratively:  therefore,  they  were  careful  to  examine  the 
root,  following  the  etymological  science  which  for  them  held  the 
place  of  erudition.  It  cannot  be  doubted,  in  reading  the  Sepher  of 
Moses,  that  this  extraordinary  man,  initiated  into  this  science  by 
the  Egyptian  priests,  possessed  it  in  the  highest  degree. 


v.  19.  e.Tnncrft1?,  after-the-tribes-their-own  ____  Two  dis- 
tinct roots  enter  into  the  composition  of  this  word.  The  first  EE, 
characterizes  every  thing  united  and  forming,  so  to  speak,  a  moss: 
the  second,  H£  ,  on  the  contrary,  designates  everything  which  opens 
to  embrace  a  greater  extent,  to  envelop  and  to  include  as  a  net,  for 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


241 


17.  All-living^life  which- 
together-thee,   fro  ni-every- 
bodily-shape,    b  o  t  h-in-fowl 
and-in-quadruped,  and-in- 
t  h  e-w  h  o  1  e-creeping-kind, 
t  r  a  i  1  i  n  g-along  upon-the- 
earth,   let-i  s  s  u  e    together- 
thee:   and-let-them-pullulate 
in-the-earth,  and-teem  and- 
breed-multiplying  upon-the- 
earth. 

18.  A  n  d-he-issued-forth 
(he  waked  out)   he-Noah, 
a  n  d-t  h  e-offspring-of-h  i  m  , 
a  n  d-t  h  e-volitive  -  efficient  - 
might-his-own,   and-the-cor- 
poreal-faculties  o  f-t  h  e-of f- 
spring-of-him,  together-him. 

19.  T  h  e-w  h  o  1  e-earth- 
born-life,     the-whole  -  creep- 
ing-kind,   a  n  d-the-w  h  o  1  e- 
fowl,    everything  -  crawling- 
along  upon-the-earth,  after- 
the-tribes-their-own      issued 
forth    from-the-t/iefoaft. 


17.  Toute-vie-animale  la- 
quelle-est  ensemble  -  toi,  de- 
toute-forme-corporelle,    e  n- 
genre-volatile,    e  t-e  n-quad- 
rupede,  et-en-tout-genre-rep- 
tiforme    serpentant    sur-la- 
terre,   fais-sortir    ( produire 
dehors)  ensemblc-toi;  ct-qu' 
ils-pullulent  en-la-terre,  et- 
fructifient,    e  t  -  multiplient 
sur-la-terre. 

18.  Et-il-sortit  (il  se  re- 
produisit  au  dehors)  lui- 
Noah,    et-les-productions-a- 
lui,  et-la-facult6-volitive  ef- 
ficiente-a-lui,  et-les-facultes- 
corporelles-des-productions- 
a-lui,ensemble-lui. 

19.  Tout  e-l'animalit6- 
terrestre,   toute-Pespece-rep- 
tiforme,  et-toute-l'esp6ce-vo- 
latile,  t  o  u  t-ce-qui-se-meut- 
d'  im-mouvement-contractile 
sur-la-terre,   selon-les-famil- 
les-<Veux,  sortirent  (se  pro- 
duisirent  hors)    de-la-Me- 
bah. 


example.  United  to  form  the  word  nCES,  they  depict,  in  the  most 
energetic  manner,  the  formation  of  the  family,  the  tribe,  the  nation, 
which,  departing  from  a  central  point  embraces  a  greater  extent. 
This  word,  inflected  by  the  directive  article  b,  is  here  used  in  the 
constructive  plural,  and  united  to  the  nominal  affix  DH. 

v.  20.  nDT?:,  an-offering-place The  word  HX  which  des- 
ignates in  Hebrew,  a  sacrifice,  being  governed  by  the  sign  of  ex- 
terior and  plastic  action  tt,  characterizes  a  place  destined  for  sacrl- 


242        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


20.    Wa-iben  Noah  mizeb-     ^'rjp  |-jpvj  miT1?  CDfO  IT! 
beha    la-I  H  6  A  H    wa-ikkah 


mi-chol    ha-bemah    ha-teho- 

rah   w-mi-chol   ha-hoph   ha-  •  rON^D  ri^ 

tahor:  wa-iahal  holoth  ba- 

inizzebbeha. 


21.    Wa-iarah     In6AH  nh'^r?  nH'HK   nifT 
aeth-r  e !  a  h  ha-nihoha,  wa-  u  "•  u  u 

iaomer  IHOAH  nallibb-o  loa-  ^P^"^  W"7^  HlH* 

aossiph  Tkallel  h6d  aeth-ha-  113173  nO"lNH"nN  1U 
adamah  ba-hobour  ha-Adam  T  ^ 

chi-ietzer  leb  ha-Adam  rah  #")  D7^CT  ^  ^  ^ 

mi-nehurai-6 :  w-loft  aossiph  nlDH1?  "11J7 
h6d    1'hachoth    33th-chol-hai 
cha-asher  hashithi. 


fice,  an  aZfar.  I  should  not  have  noticed  this  word,  which  otherwise 
offers  nothing  difficult,  if  I  had  not  believed  to  give  pleasure 'to  the 
reader,  in  showing  him  that  its  root  DT,  is  not  used  in  this  sense  In 
Hebrew,  that  it  does  not  appear  even  of  Egyptian  origin,  and  that  it 
ie  necessary  to  penetrate  as  far  as  the  Ethiopians  to  find  it.  The 
verb  Hl]Jh  (za&ft),  signifies  among  this  ancient  people,  to  sacrifice; 
and  I  quite  believe  that  its  origin  goes  back  to  a  very  remote  time 
when  Sabaeanism  flourished  in  that  country.  At  the  epoch  when 
Moses  employed  the  word  POT ,  it  was  already  ancient  enough  to  be 
naturalized  in  the  Egyptian  tongue  without  preserving  the  idea  of 
its  origin,  which  no  doubt  would  have  appeared  profane  to  this 
theocratic  legislator. 

rby  ^>jri,  and-he-raised-up  a-rising-sublimation Both  the  noun 

and  the  verb  which  the  hierographic  writer  uses  to  express  the 
action  of  Noah  sacrificing  to  the  Divinity,  issue  alike  from  the  root 
~?y,  which  characterizes  every  thing  which  is  raised  with  energy, 
which  mounts  from  a  low  iplace  toward  a  higher,  which  is  exhaled, 
which  is  sublimated  chemically,  evaporates,  is  spiritualized,  etc. 
This  expression  merits  close  attention  in  its  hieroglyphic  sense. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


243 


20.  And-he-erected  Noah, 
an-o  f  f  e  r  i  n  g  -  place   unto- 
I  H  o  A  H  ;   an  d-be-t  o  o  k-up 
fro  m-every-quadruped    of- 
the-purity,     and-from-every- 
fowl  of-the-purity,  a  n  d-he- 
raised-up  a-rising  -  sublima- 
tion   fro  m-t  h  a  t-of fering- 
place. 

21.  And-he-b  r  e  a  t  h  e  d, 
IHOAH,  that-fragrant-breatb 
of-sweetness ;    a  n  d-he-said, 
IHOAH,   inward-the-heart- 
his-own,  n  o  t-will-I-certain- 
ly-add  the-cursing  yet-again 
the-adami  c-for-the-sake- 
Adam'  s     because-it-framed, 
the-heart    of-that-collective- 
man,   evil,   fro- m-the-first- 
ling-impulses-his-own :  and- 
not-will-I-certainly  add  yet- 
again   the-smiting-so-1  o  w 
a  1 1-earth-born-life  such-as- 
that  I-have-done. 


20.  Et-il-edifia,    Noah, 
un-lieu-d  e-s  a  c  r  i  f  i  c  e     a- 
IHOAH;  et-il-prit  de-tout- 
quadrupede    de-la-p  u  r  e  t  e, 
et-de-tout-v  o  1  a  t  i  1  e  de-la- 
purete;    et-il-eleva    une-e!6- 
vation    (il   fit  exhaler   une 
exhalaison )     d  e-c  e-lieu-de- 
sacrifice. 

21.  Et-il-respira,  IHOAH, 
c  e  t-esprit-odorant  de  -  dou- 
ceur; et-il-dit,    IHOAH,   de- 
vers-1  a-coeur-sien,    non-pas- 
j'ajouterai  -  certainement    F 
action-de-maudire  encore 
la-terre-adamique  dan  s-le- 
rapport-d'^lrfam,    car-il-for- 
ma,    le-coeur    de-cet-homme- 
universel,   1  e-m  a  1,   des-les- 
prem'ieres  -  impulaions-sien- 
nes:    et-non-pas-j'ajouterai- 
certainement    encore    Fact- 
ion   de  -  f  rapper  -  si  -  violem- 
m  e  n  t    toute-l'existence-£le- 
mentaire  de-meme-que  j'ai- 
fait. 


v.  21.  iwnX,  that-fragrant-breath....  This  noun  as  well  as 
the  verb  which  precedes  it,  are  both  attached  to  the  root  cm,  of 
which  I  spoke  in  v.  2,  ch.  I.  But  it  must  be  noticed  that  in  the 
word  PT"),  the  sign  of  potential  manifestation  has  replaced  the  sign 
of  the  convertible  link. 


not-will-I-certainly-add  ____  The  root  r,D,  indicates 
any  capacity  whatever;  employed  as  verb  it  signifies  that  an  action 
already  done  is  continued,  or  that  it  takes  place  again.  The  iterative 
syllable  re,  which  we  take  from  the  Latins,  put  at  the  head  of  a  verb, 
renders  quite  irell  this  Hebraic  idiomatism.  Thus,  for  example, 
when  in  v.  12  of  this  chapter  Moses  says,  in  speaking  of  lonah, 


244         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


22.     Hod    chol-lemei    ha-     TVpl  )Hf  fHNH 
aretz  zerah  w-katzir  w-kor  T 

wa-hom  w-kaltz  wa-horeph 
w'lom  wa-lai.lah  loa  isheb- 
bothou. 


and  not-did-it-add-the-returning  ;  we  would  say,  and  it 
did  not  return. 

"lU*1 ,  it-framed I  have  explained  as  much  as  possible  for 

me,  this  difficult  word  of  the  Hebraic  tongue  in  v.  7.  ch.  II. 

2"),  evil As  this  word  offers  no  difficulty  either  in  the 

literal  or  in  the  figurative  sense,  I  have  not  dwelt  upon  it  until  now. 
Its  etymology  is  so  very  simple.  The  hieroglyphic  meaning  only,  is 
very  profound.  Its  etymological  composition  results  from  the  sign 
of  movement  proper  "),  united  to  the  root  21,  not  used  in  Hebrew, 
and  changed  in  its  analogue  12  to  signify  literally,  every  bending, 
obliquity,  inclination,  declination  of  things;  and  figuratively,  every 
perversity,  iniquity,  moral  depravation.  The  hieroglyphic  meaning 
is  drawn  from  the  symbolic  union  of  the  signs  of  movement  proper 
and  material  sense.  The  Arabic  analogue  £\JJ,  characterizes  that 
which  leaves  its  path,  its  sphere,  by  a  disordered  movement;  that 
which  bends,  twists  or  is  perverted.  The  Chaldaic  expresses  this 
word  by  ETD ,  which  is  the  analogue  of  the  Samaritan  ***fjfe  ,  of 
•which  I  have  spoken.  The  Teutonic  &6s  is  the  exact  copy  of  the 
Chaldaic,  of  which  the  Latin  vitium  is  a  derivative. 

I""l23tt ,  from-the-firstling-impulses-his-own The  root  213  de- 
velops every  idea  of  impulse  given  to  a  thing  to  agitate,  to  stir  it, 
to  draw  it  from  its  torpor.  This  root,  united  by  contraction  to  the 
elementary  root  1>*,  forms  the  word  "123,  which  is  taken  in  a  broad- 
er sense  for  elementary  impulse,  and  in  a  more  restricted  sense,  for 
youth  and  childhood. 

v.  22.  The  terms  of  this  verse  are  not  difficult.  I  shall  limit 
myself  to  giving  briefly  the  etymology,  as  much  to  satisfy  the 
curiosity  of  the  reader,  as  to  show  him  how  the  hieroglyphic  mean- 
ing can  pass  to  the  figurative  and  to  the  literal,  for  nearly  all  these 
terms  have  been  hieroglyphic  in  their  origin. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  245 

22.      While-shall-revolve-  22.      Pendant-t  o  u  s-1  e  s- 

all-the-lights    of-t he-earth  jours  de-la-terre  (les  mani- 

( phenomenal    universal  festations   lumineuses,   ph6- 

light's  manifestation),  seed-  nom6niques),    le-germe    et- 

time   and-harvest,   and-cold  Ia-r6colte,    et-le-froid    et-le- 

and-heat,  and-summer  and-  chaud,  et-l'ete  et-1'hiver,  et- 

winter,  and  -  day  and-night  le-jour    et-la-nuit     non-pas- 

shall-not   sabbathize    (shall  septeniseront   (ne  cesseront 

not  cease).  pas). 


JTlT ,  seed-time:  that  is  to  say,  the  dispersion,  the  division,  the 
attenuation  of  evil;  as  is  proved  by  the  two  contracted  roots  jn~")f» 

VXp,  harvest:  that  is  to  say,  the  term,  the  end  of  pain,  of 
agony;  as  can  be  seen  in  the  two  contracted  roots  1^*yp. 

•ip,  cold.  This  root  contains  in  itself  the  idea  of  that  which 
is  incisive,  penetrating,  stiff,  strong,  etc. 

Dn,  heat.  I  have  frequently  had  occasion  to  speak  of  this  root 
which  is  attached  to  that  which  is  inclined,  bent,  restricted,  scorched, 
etc. 

y*j? ,  summer.  This  is  the  root  yp ,  expressing  the  term,  the 
summit,  the  end  of  all  things;  to  which  the  sign  of  manifestation 
has  been  added. 

ppn,  winter.  These  words  are  composed  of  two  contracted  roots 
••)TT")n,  one  of  which,  in,  characterizes  elementary  heat;  the  other 
*yn,  expresses  the  action  of  breaking,  of  interrupting,  of  striking, 
etc.  Winter  is  therefore,  in  Hebrew,  the  solution,  the  rup- 
ture of  elementary  heat,  as  summer  is  the  summit  and  the  end 
manifested.  Cold  is  therefore,  a  thing  that  is  keen,  penetrating, 
straight  and  clear;  and  heat,  on  the  contrary,  a  thing  obtuse,  envelop- 
ing, bent  and  obscure.  Seed-time  can  therefore  be  considered  as  a 
thing  destined  to  divide,  to  attentuate  evil  more  and  more.  One 
realizes  how  far  the  exploration  of  these  hieroglyphics  and  others 
similar,  might  lead  into  the  physical  and  metaphysical  ideas  of  the 
ancient  Egyptians. 

I  have  firm  reasons  for  thinking  that  this  twenty-second  verse 
and  perhaps  a  part  of  the  twenty-first,  are  foreign  to  Moses;  I  be- 
lieve them  to  be  a  fragment  of  an  early  commentary  passed  from 
the  margin  into  the  text. 


246         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
SEPHER  BER^ESHITH  ,  Q   JTtPiOD   ")DD 


1.  Wa-lbarech  JSlohlm 
ffith-N  o  a  h  w'aeth-b  a  n  a  i-6 
wa-iaomer  1  a-h  e  m,  phrou 
w-rebou,  w-milaou  seth-ha- 
aretz. 


T 


!Q*yj 


on1? 


2.  W  -  mdrao  -  £hem  w  - 
hith-dhem  Ihieh  hal-chol- 
haiath  ha-aretz  w-hal-chol 
hoph  ha-shamaira  b'chol  as- 
her  thiremoth  ha-adamah 
w-b'chol-deghei  ha  -  iam  b' 
Sed-chem  nithanou. 


own 


tr'onn 
on 


v.    1. 
plained. 


All   the   terms   in   this   verse   have   been   previouslj   ex- 


v. 2.  DDK1*tt1  and-the-dazzling-brightness-yours  ----  The  Hel- 
lenists and  their  imitators  who  have  seen  in  the  word  NYitt  an 
expression  of  terror  or  fright,  have  therefore  rendered  Noah  and 
his  productions,  as  objects  of  fear  for  terrestrial  animality;  but  this 
is  not  what  Moses  has  intended.  The  root  of  this  word  is  Y.X 
light,  whence  "T,N?2,  splendour,  brightness,  a  torch.  The  verb  JOIS 
which  is  formed  from  it  signifies  to  rule  by  its  lights  and  not  to 
terrify.  One  finds  in  Chaldaic  the  word  X172,  and  the  analogues  in 
Syriac  and  in  Arabic  to  designate,  a  master,  guide,  lord.  From  this 
word  is  formed  the  Latin  "maritus",  from  which  comes  the  French 
wart  (husband),  that  is  to  say  exactly,  the  torch,  the  enlightened 
guide  of  the  woman:  name  given  at  first  out  of  respect  or  flattery 
but  which  habit  has  finally  distorted  utterly. 

I  must  admit  that  the  Samaritan  translator  had  already  corrupted 
the  meaning  of  Moses  before  the  Hellenists,  since  rendering  the  word 

'  which  desiSnates  a  gigantic  formidable  object,  he 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  247 

GENESIS  IX.  COSMOGONIE   IX. 


1.  An  d-h  e-blessed,    HE- 
t  h  e-Gods,  the-selfsameness- 
of-Noah,   and-that-of-the-off- 
spring-h  i  s-o  w  n ;    an  d-he- 
said  unto-them:  breed  and- 
multiply,    and-fill    the-self- 
sameness-of-earth. 

2.  And-the-d  a  z  z  1  i  n  g- 
brightness-yours,    a  n  d-the- 
dreadful-awe-o  f-y  o  u  shall- 
be  u  p  o  n-the-whole-animal- 
ity  ear  t  h-born,  and-upon- 
every-fowl  of-heavens,  in- 
all  that  can-breed  from-the- 
adamic-pristine-e  1  e  m  e  n  t, 
and-in-every-fisli    of-the-sea : 
i  n  t  o-t  h  e-hand-yours   they- 
were-given-over. 


1.  Et-il-b6nit,    LUi-les- 
Dieux,  rips6it6-de-Aroff/t,  et- 
celle-des-emanations-a-1  u  i  ; 
et-il-dit-a-eux :   fructifiez  et- 
multipliez   et-remplissez-en- 
tierement  I'ipseit6-terrestre. 

2.  E  t  - 1  a-splendeur-£b- 
louissante-v  6  t  r  e,    e  t-le-re- 
spect-terrifiant-a-vous,  sera 
s  u  r-toute-ranimalite-terres- 
tre  et-sur-toute-1'espece-vola- 
tile  d  e  s-r6gions-e  levies; 
dans-tout  ce-qui  recevra-le- 
mouvement-originel  de-l'61e- 
ment-adamique,    e  t-d  a  n  s  - 
tous-les-poissons  de-la-mer ; 
sous-la-main-a-vous,  ils-ont- 


had    effaced    this    Imposing    light,    whence    the    hierographlc    writer 
causes  the  respect  of  animals  for  the  posterity  of  Noah  to  be  derived. 

v.  3.  I  have  nothing  more  to  say  upon  the  meaning  of  these 
words;  except  that  animal  life  is  given  as  food  to  Noah  and  to  his 
posterity,  which  had  not  been  done  with  regard  to  that  of  Adam. 
This  life  is  given  to  them  the  same  as  the  green  herb,  2~y  pV3 .  Here 
the  assimilative  article  2  is  used  in  the  most  picturesque,  and  in 
the  least  equivocal  manner:  the  root  TjX,  makes,  in  the  following 
verse,  an  effect  no  less  striking,  as  adverbial  relation. 


v.    4.    IWTjX,    but-the-bodily-shape....    I    regret    assuredly    the 


248        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

3.  Choi-re  mesh  asher 
houa-hal  la-chem  i.hieh  1' 
achelah:  ch'i.erek  hesheb 
nathathi  la-chem  aeth-dhol. 


4.    Adh-bashar  b'nap-     - 
hesh-6  dam-6  lo&  thaochelou. 


trouble  that  the  Hellenists  have  taken  to  disguise  the  force  of 
this  verse  and  the  ensuing  ones;  I  would  gladly  imitate  the  discreet 
complaisance  of  the  Latin  translator,  who  has  chosen  to  pass  in 
silence  the  words  which  perplexed  him;  but  at  last  it  is  necessary 
that  Moses  be  translated.  If  this  extraordinary  man  has  said 
things  which  alarm  the  rabbis,  or  which  shock  their  pride,  he  has 
also  said  things  which  ought  to  make  them  proud:  thus  is  every- 
thing balanced.  Long  enough  have  these  magnificent  tableaux  been 
degraded  by  the  sorry  caricatures  which  have  been  made  of  them. 
They  must  be  known  in  their  original  conception.  The  disagreeable 
truths  to  be  met  with  here  are  nothing  in  comparison  to  the  false 
or  ridiculous  things  which  the  copyists  have  introduced. 

In  fact,  this  is  beyond  doubt:  Moses,  by  the  mouth  of  the  Divin- 
ity, forbids  the  posterity  of  Noah  to  feed  upon  corporeal  substance, 
the  similitude  of  that  which  his  soul  bears  in  himself,  that  is  to  say, 
the  very  flesh  of  man.  Certainly  one  should  regard  this  decree 
only  as  a  general  law  which  concerns  the  entire  human  race,  since 
it  is  also  addressed  to  the  posterity  of  Noah,  which  here  represents 
mankind;  but  in  supposing  that  the  Hebrews  might  be  found  at  that 
time  in  circumstances  lamentable  enough  to  have  required  it,  I  must 
apprise  the  modern  Jews,  if  anything  can  console  them  for  this,  that 
not  only  had  Zoroaster  already  made  this  decree  to  the  Parsees,  a 
people  today  very  pacific,  and  who  even  abstain  from  the  flesh  of 
animals;  but  that  he  had  moreover,  commanded  them  to  confess  hav- 
ing eaten  human  flesh,  when  this  had  happened;  as  can  be  seen  in  the 
Jeschts  sad£s,  traduit  par  Anquetil-Duperron  (p.  28,  29,  30  et  suiv.). 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  249 

3.  Every-moving  -  thing,        3.     Tout-c  h  o  s  e-s  e-mou- 
which-is    itself-life,    to-you    vant  qui-a  en-soi  1'existence, 
shall-be    for-food :    even-as-    a-vous  sera  pour-aliment: 
the-green  herb,  I-have-given     de-m  e  m  e-que-la-verdoyante 
unto-you  together-all.  herbe,  j'ai-donn6-a-vous  en- 
semble-tout. 

4.  B  u  t-the-bodily-shape-  4.     Mais-la-forme-corpor  - 
having    by-the-soul-itself,  elle-ayant  dans-1'ame-sienne 
the-likeness-its-o  w  n,    not-  I'homog6n6it6    (la   similitu- 
shall-you-feed-upon.  de)  a-elle,  non-pas-vous-con- 

sommerez. 


I  shall  not  expatiate  upon  this  subject  as  I  shall  doubtless  have 
occasion  to  treat  of  it  elsewhere.  I  pass  on  to  the  explanation  of 
the  verse  under  consideration. 

Moses,  after  having  likened  all  terrestrial  animality  to  the  green 
herb  and  having  given  it  as  food  for  the  posterity  of  Noah,  opposes 
to  the  assimilative  article  3  which  he  has  just  used,  the  adverbial 
relation  ~X,  thus  giving  a  contrary  movement  to  the  phrase,  restrict- 
iog  with  greatest  force,  and  making  exception  of  that  corporeal 
form  which  receives  its  likeness  from  its  soul  by  means  of  blood. 
For  in  whatever  manner  one  may  examine  the  words  which  compose 
this  verse,  here  is  their  meaning;  one  cannot  interpret  them  other- 
wise without  mutilating  them  or  making  them  utterly  unrecognizable. 

When  the  Hellenists  have  said,  ye  shall  not  eat  the  flesh  which 
is  in  the  blood  of  the  soul:  xpta  iv  Hifmri  ^i^i ;  they  have  not 
only  misunderstood  the  true  signification  of  the  word  DT  by  limiting 
it  to  signifying  only  blood,  but  they  have  again  overthrown  all  the 
terms  of.  the  phrase,  by  attributing  to  this  word  the  mediative  ar- 
ticle 3  which  belongs  to  the  soul  in  the  Hebrew  text,  and  by  sup- 
pressing the  two  nominal  affixes  which  make  the  corporeal  form 
")S?D,  dependent  upon  sanguineous  homogeneity  i?3*l  ,  residing  in  its 
own  soul,  ".EC3D. 

When  the  Latin  translator  has  said,  ye  shall  not  eat  the  flesh 
with  the  blood,  "camera  cum  sanguine",  he  has,  like  the  Hellenists, 
•wrongly  interpreted  the  word  m  ;  he  has  given  it  a  relation  that 
it  has  not,  and  finally,  he  has  suppressed  entirely  the  word  EE3 ,  soul, 
not  knowing  wbat  to  do  with  it.  The  great  difficulties  of  this  verse 


250         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
5.     W'adh  aeth-dime-chem 


nou  w-mi-lad  ha-  Adam,  mi-     ynp   B*N    "TO    DINH    TD1 

sr 


and  those  following  consist,  first,  in  the  meaning  which  Moses  has 
attached  to  the  word  O"l;  secondly,  in  the  manner  in  which  he  has 
made  use  of  it. 

The  word  does  not  signify  literally  blood,  as  the  Hellenists  have 
wished  to  make  it  believed  and  as  Saint  Jerome  has  believed;  but, 
as  I  have  already  said  elsewhere,  every  homogeneous  thing,  formed 
by  assimilation  of  similar  parts,  and  belonging  to  the  universal  or- 
ganization. If  this  word,  taken  in  a  restricted  sense,  designates 
blood,  it  is  because,  following  the  Egyptian  ideas  of  natural  philo- 
sophy, the  blood  was  regarded  as  formed  of  homogeneous  molecules, 
united  by  an  universal,  assimilative  force,  serving  as  bond  between 
the  soul  and  body,  and  in  consequence  of  the  laws  which  preside  at 
the  organization  of  beings,  of  designing  exteriorly  the  corporeal  form, 
according  to  the  impulse  which  it  receives  from  the  efficient  volitive 
faculty,  inherent  in  the  soul. 

Whatever  opinion  one  may  take  of  these  ideas  of  natural  philo- 
sophy it  is  not  my  purpose  to  discuss  their  advantages  over  those  of 
our  modern  physicists;  it  is  enough  for  me  on  this  occasion,  to 
bring  them  out  and  to  state  that  they  were  all  contained  in  the  word 
D"l  ,  by  virtue  of  its  hieroglyphic  composition.  When  this  word 
designated  blood,  it  was  in  its  quality  of  assimilative  link  between 
the  soul  and  body,  of  organizing  instrument,  as  it  were,  destined  to 
raise  the  edifice  of  the  body  according  to  the  plan  furnished  by  its 
soul. 

Now,  in  this  instance  the  hierographic  writer  has  made  use  of 
its  literal,  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense  to  its  fullest  extent,  by 
means  of  a  oratorical  figure  of  speech  peculiar  to  the  genius  of  the 
Hebraic  tongue,  and  which  I  have  already  explained  several  times. 
There  is  no  translation  in  any  modern  European  tongue  which  can 
•wholly  express  his  thought.  All  that  I  can  do  is  to  present  it  so  that 
an  intelligent  reader  can  penetrate  it  readily. 

Let  us  listen  now  to  the  Samaritan  translator;    he  has   not  de- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  251 

5.    For  that-sanguineous-  5.     Car  cette-assimilation- 

likeness- jours    (which   acts  sanguine-a-vous    (qui  est) 

according)    t  o-t  he-so  u  1  s-  selon-les-ames-v6tres,    je-re- 

yours  I-will-prosecute  from-  chercherai  d  e-1  a-m  a  i  n  de- 

the-hand  of-every-living :  I-  tout-vivant :  je-rechercherai- 

will-prosecute-it     (I     will  elle    (j'en    poursuivrai    la 

avenge  it)   and-from-the-  vengeance)   et-de-la-main  d' 

hand  of-Adam    (collective  Adam  (Phomme  universel)  ; 

man )  ;     an  d-f rom-the-hand  et-de-la-m  ain   d'  Aish    ( P 

of- Aish  (intellectually  indi-  homme  individualist  par  sa 

viduated    man)     brother-of-  volont£)     frere-a-lui,  je-re- 

him,    I- will-prosecute   that-  chercherai     (je    vengerai) 

v  e  r  y-s  o  u  1,   universal-like-  cette-meme-ame-adamique. 
ness. 


viated  greatly  from  his  model:  and  he  has  been  abandoned  by  the 
Hellenists  who  did  not  wish  so  much  clarity.  Here  is  his  entire 
phrase  interpreted  word-for-word. 

However  the  form-corporeal- 

by.the-soul-its-own    a  d  a  m  i  c  . 
not-shall-you-consume. 

That  is  to  say,  you  shall  not  eat  of  the  animal  substance  assimilated 
.by  the  soul  of  universal  man.  This  seems  clear.  The  following 
verses  will  complete  its  evidence. 

v.  5.  In  this  verse  the  Divinity  announces  that  it  will  avenge 
this  blood  assimilation,  analogous  to  the  adamic  soul,  that  is  to  say, 
plainly,  that  it  will  avenge  the  human  blood  shed,  ,TPr^3  V12,  "at 

the  hand  of  every  living  being" DIKn   VE1,  "and  at  the 

hand  of  universal  Adam" l*r»X  E*K  V»  "at  the  hand  of  in- 
tellectual Aish,  his  brother" I  urge  the  reader  to  observe,  be- 
sides the  proofs  which  I  have  just  advanced,  the  irresistible  proof  of 
the  distinction  which  I  have  established  according  to  Moses,  between 
Adam,  universal  man,  mankind,  and  Aish,  intellectual  man,  in- 
dividualized by  his  volitive  faculty.  This  hierographic  writer  nam- 
ing them  together  in  this  verse,  is  careful  not  to  confuse  them,  as 
his  translators  have  done.  On  the  contrary,  he  designates  the  one 
as  brother  of  the  other. 


252         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

6.     Shophech    dam    ha-     -JQI    DINS    D*WT 


hashah  a3th-ha-Adam. 


7.    W'athem,  phrou  w-re-     r^  «iy^  «Q-y| 
bou,  shirtzou  ba-aretz,  w-re- 
bou  b'ha. 


8.     W  a-i£omer 
ael-Noah  w'sel-banai-6,  aith- 
6,  r«mor. 


9.     Wa-ani  hin-ni  mekim 


chem. 


v.  6.  This  verse  contains  a  terrible  mystery,  which  Plato  has 
very  clearly  understood  and  developed  very  well  in  his  book  of 
Laws.  I  refer  the  reader  to  it  in  order  to  avoid  commentaries. 
As  to  the  terms  themselves,  they  have  either  been  already  explained 
or  they  offer  no  kind  of  grammatical  difficulty. 

v.  7.  CHXV  and-ye-collective-self . . . .  The  designative  rela- 

tion PiX,  taken  substantively  and  invested  with  the  collective  sign 
D,  is  applied  here  to  Noah  and  to  his  productions;  that  which  gives 
to  the  apostrophe  a  force  that  no  translator  of  Moses  has  made  felt. 

DD  1311,  and-spread-yourselves  on-it....  It  must  be  observed 
that  the  verb  n*.2l ,  is  employed  twice  in  this  verse.  The  first,  in 
the  sense  of  growing  in  number;  the  second,  in  that  of  growing  in 
power;  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  whether  the  mediative  article 
3,  employed  with  the  nominal  affix  n,  to  designate  the  earth,  in- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


253 


6.  The-shedding-one  the- 
saguineou s-likeness  of- 
Adam  (mankind)  through- 
Adam  t  h  e-blood-his-own 
s  h  a  1 1-be-shed :  because-in- 
the-universal-s  h  a  d  o  w  of- 
HiM-the-Gods  HE-made  the- 
selfsameness-of-Adaw. 


7.  And-ye-collective-self ! 
fructify    and-increase-in- 
number;  breed  in-the-earth, 
and-spread-yourselves  on-it. 

8.  And-he-declared,   HE- 
the-Gods,    unto-Noah,    and- 
unto-t  h  e-offspring-of-h  i  m, 
together-h-  i  m,   pursuing-to- 
say: 

9.  And-I,  lo-I-am  causing- 
to-stand-substantially  t  h  e- 
c  r  e  a  t  i  n  g-might-mine  to- 
gether-you,  and  together- 
the-seed-yours,  after-you. 


6.  L'epandant  (celui  qui 
epandra)  rassimilation-san- 
guine  d'Adam  (le  regne  ho- 
minal )     p  a  r-1  e-m  o  y  e  n-d' 
Adam    le-sang-a-lui    sera- 
epandu :    c  a  r-dans-1'ombre- 
universelle    de-LUi-les- 
D  i  e  u  x     iL-fit     l'ipseite-d' 
Adam. 

7.  Et-vous-existence-uni- 
verselle!  fructifiez  et-multi- 
pliez:   propagez-vous  en-la- 
terre,  et-etendez-vous  en-el- 
le. 

8.  Et-il  declara,  LUi-les- 
Dleux,  envers-^oa^  et-en- 
vers-les-emanations-jl-lui,  en- 
semble-lui,  selon-ce-dire : 


9.  Et-moi,  voici-moi  fai- 
sant-exister-en-substance  la- 
f  o  r  c  e-creatrice-mienne  en- 
semble-vous  et-ensemble-la- 
generation-v6tre,  aprds-vous 


dicates  simply  that  the  earth  will  be  the  place,  or  the  means  of  this 
power. 


All  these  terms  are  understood. 
,   causing-to-stand-substantially 


v.  8. 

v.  9.  D*ptt,  causing-to-stand-substantially  ----  This  is  the  verb 
D'lp,  used  according  to  the  excitative  form,  active  movement, 
continued  facultative.  For  the  meaning  which  I  give  it,  refer  to 
the  history  of  this  important  root,  v.  4,  ch.  II. 

"JV^D-nX,  the-creating-might-mine  ____  See  v.  18,  ch.  VII.  If 
one  glances  at  the  vulgar  translations,  he  will  see  the  Divinity, 
(instead  of  the  power  or  creative  law  which  It  gives  to  Noah  and  to 


254        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


10.  W'seth-chol-nephesh 
ha-haiah  a  s  h  e  r  aith-chem 
ba-h  6  p  h  ba-behemah  w-b' 
ehol  haiatli  ha-aretz  aith- 
chein  mi-chol  lotzeai.  ha-the- 
bah  1'chol  haiath  ha-aretz. 


DpflN  "VPlt  n»n 


"WJ» 


11.  W  a-hokimothi  asth-  - 
berith-i  aith-o  hem  w-loa- 
Ichareth  dhol-b  a  s  h  a  r  hod 
mi-mei  ha-in  a  b  b  o  u  1  w-loa 
ihieh  hod  m  a  b  b  o  u  1  Psha- 
heth  ha^retz. 


tn»-|3-n^ 


12.  Wa-faomer  ^Elohlm 
zoath  aoth  ha-berith  asher 
ani  nothen  bein-t  w-beinel- 
c  h  e  m  w'bein  chol-nephesh 
haiah  asher  aith-6hem  1'do- 
roth  holam, 


his  productions  according  to  the  Hebrew  text),  consenting  with  them 
and  with  all  the  animals  coming  out  from  the  ark;  and  following 
the  Hellenists  and  Latin  interpreters,  he  will  see  a  sort  of  pact, 
treaty  or  alliance,  the  articles  of  which  it  is  none  too  easy  to  con- 
ceive. 

v.  10.    All  these  terms  are  understood. 


v.  11.  ni3'"XVl,  and-no-more-shall-be-cut-off  ____  This  is  the 
verb  n*i"O,  used  according  to  the  positive  form,  passive  movement. 
This  verb,  which  signifies  literally  to  arrest  the  scope  of  a  thing,  18 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


255 


10.  And-t  o  g  e  t  h  e  r-all- 
soul  of-life  w  h  i  c  h-was  to- 
gether-you,   in-the-fowl,   in- 
the-quadruped,   a  n  d-in-the- 
whole  animality  earth-born, 
together-y  o  u,    amongst-all 
the-issuing-b  e  i  n  g  s  of-the- 
thcbah,    including-the- whole 
aniinality  of-the-earth. 

11.  An  d-I-will-cause-to- 
exist-i  n-a-material  -shape 
that-creating-might-inine,  to- 
gether-y o  u ;    an  d-no-more- 
shall-be-cut-o  f  f    every-cor- 
poreal-shape  again,  through- 
t  h  e-w  a  t  e  r  s  of-tbe-great- 
swelling;  and-no-more-shall- 
be    yet    a-flood    for-the-des- 
troying-quite-o  v  e  r    o  f-the- 
earth. 

12.  And-he-said,  HE-the- 
G  o  d  s,  t  h  i  s-i  s  t  h  e-token 
(symbolical  sign)  of-the- 
creating-might  which  I-am 
1  a  y  i  n  g-down  betwixt-me 
and  -  betwixt  -  you  a  n  d  -  be- 
twixt e  v  e  r  y-s  o  u  1  of-life, 
which-shall-be  together-you 
unto-the-ages  of-the-bound- 
less-time. 


10.  Et-ensemble-t  o  u  t  e- 
auie    de-vie,     laquelle-etait 
ensemble-vous,     eu-genre-vo- 
latile,  en-quadrupede,  et-en- 
t  o  u  t  e  animalite  terrestre, 
ensemble-vous,     parmi-tous- 
les-provenans  d  e-1  a.-thebah, 
comprenant-toute    1'amma- 
lite  terrestre. 

11.  Et-j  e-f  e  r  a  i-exister- 
dans-l'ordre-mat6riel    cette- 
loi-creatrice-mienne,  ensem- 
ble-vous; et-non-pas  sera-re- 
tranchee    tout  e-forme-cor- 
porelle  encore,  par-1'eau  de- 
la-grande-intumescence :    et- 
non-pas-sera  encore  une- 
grande-intumescence  p  o  u  r- 
Ia-d6pression    (la  destruct- 
tion)  de-la-terre. 

12.  Et-il-dit,  LUi-les- 
Dieux,  ceci-est  le-signe  de- 
Ia-loi-cr6atrice    laquelle    je- 
suis  mettant  entre-moi  et- 
entre-vous,     e  t-entre-toute 
ame  de-vie,  laquelle-sera  en- 
semble-vous    aux-Ages    de-l' 
immensite  (des  temps). 


formed  of  the  two  contracted  roots  HTIS  of  which  the  one,  "O. 
contains  the  idea  of  that  which  grows,  rises,  unfolds;  and  the  other. 
FP  ,  expresses  on  the  contrary,  that  which  chains,  arrests,  coagu- 
lates, etc. 

v.    12.     p'.J  *3X,   I-am   laying-down Here   is   the   source   of 

this    facultative    whose    signification    can    here    be    of    some    import- 


256         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

13.     ^Eth-kasheth-i     nat-     PFJTrn   [Jl??  »fUTJ  'f 

ft6th  berith  beta*  w^bein  ha- 
aretz. 


14.     W'haiah  b'hanan-i     tHNIT^y    pi?    ^#3   iTfT) 
hanan   hal-ha-aretz   w'nira- 
thah  ha-kesheth  b'  hanan.  :  BV?  n^P? 


15.    W-za6harethi  aeth-be-     »j»2 
ri.th-i  a  s  h  e  r   bein-i   w-bel-      , 
neWhem    w-bein    chol-nep-     '^1  H»n  ^r^  |»31  Dp» 
hesh  haiah  b'chol-bashar  w-     Q»J 
Io4  i  h  1  e  h  h6d  ha-maim  1' 
mabboul  1'shaheth  dhol-bas- 
har. 


ance.  The  root  p  develops  in  a  general  sense,  an  extension  of  it- 
self, an  enlargement:  in  a  particular  sense,  it  is  a  gift,  a  largess. 
Preceded  by  the  verbal  adjunction  J  ,  it  expresses  the  action  of 
putting  in  the  possession  of  another,  of  delivering  for  his  disposi- 
tion, of  giving.  It  is  to  this  latter  meaning  that  the  facultative 
tt  is  related. 


v.  13.  Tn&pTlX,  that-boiv-mine  ----  The  root  of  the  word 
a  low,  is  not  found  in  the  Hebrew  tongue;  it  must  be 
sought  for  in  the  Arabic  ^,15,  in  which  it  is  a  kind  of  idiomatic 
onomatopoeia.  It  is  from  the  word  ^  ^  a  "bow,  that  the  Hebrew  Is 
formed  as  feminine  derivative. 

pl>D  ,  in-the-cloudy-expanse  ____  I  beg  the  reader  to  recall 
what  I  have  said  concerning  the  extraordinary  root  "px,  which  some- 
times characterizes  indefinite  being,  the  world,  and  sometimes  void, 
nothingness.  If  this  root,  conceived  as  characterizing  void,  loses 
its  radical  vowel  K  to  take  J>  which  designates  the  material  sense, 
then  it  seems  that  void  itself  is  corporified  and  becomes  palpable. 
It  is  a  heavy  air,  an  obscure  vapour,  a  lugubrious  veil,  thrown  over 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


257 


13.    T  h  a  t-b  o  w-mine  I-  13.    Cet-arc-mien  j'ai-mis 

h  a  v  e-1  a  i  d-d  own    in-the-  dans  Pespace-n6buleux ;   et- 

cloudy-expense;    and-it-  il-sera  pour  signe  de-la-loi- 

shall-be  f  o  r-t  o  k  e  n  of-the-  crSatrice  entre-moi  et-entre 

creating-might     betwixt-me  la-terre. 
and-betwixt  the-earth. 


14.  A  n  d-i  t-shall-be  by- 
the-clouding-mine  the-clou- 
dy-expanse,    upon-the-earth, 
that-shall-be-seen    t  h  e-bow 
in-the-cloudy-expanse. 

15.  And-I-will-remember 
t  h  a  t-creating-law   which-is 
betwixt-me  and-betwixt-you, 
and-betwixt    all-soul    of-life 
i  n  t  o-a  1 1-corporeal-shape; 

a  n  d-n  o  t-shall-be-there  an- 
again  (a  coming  back)  of- 
the- water's  great-swelling  to- 
depress  (to  destroy,  to  un- 
do) every -corporeal -shape. 


14.  E  t-c  e-sera-dans-Pac- 
tion-mienne  d'obscurcir  1'e* 
pace-n6buleux  s  u  r-la-terre, 
qu'il-sera-vu  Pare  dans  Pes- 
pace-n6buleux. 

15.  E  t-je-me-rappellarai 
cette-loi-cr£atrice    laquelle- 
sera  entre-moi  et-entre-vous, 
et-entre-t  out  e-ame   de-vie, 
en-toute-f  orme-corporelle ;  et> 
non-sera  un-encore  (une  re*- 
volution  nouvelle)  des-eaux 

d  e-1  a-grande-intumescence 
pour-  dSprimer  ( ablmer) 
toute-forme-corporelle. 


the  light.  Now,  this  is  what  the  root  ]y  signifies  properly.  In  its 
state  of  verb  it  develops  the  action  of  obscuring,  covering,  hiding, 
obstructing;  fascinans  oculis.  In  its  state  of  noun  and  united  to 
the  syllable  ]\  it  designates  nebulous  space  and  all  clouds  in  par- 
ticular. 


v.    14.      *33J>3,    by-the-clouding-mine Moses,    true    to    this 

style,  derives  the  verb  from  the  same  root  as  the  noun  and  uses 
them  together.  The  effect  of  his  phrase  is  here  very  picturesque, 
but  the  thought  that  it  contains  is  again  most  profound.  This 
thought  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  cannot  be  explained.  All  that 
I  can  say  is,  that  in  the  same  action  of  obscuring  the  earth,  the 
Divinity,  according  to  this  hierographic  writer,  places  the  striking 


258        THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

16.     W'haithah     ha-kes-    rrrvN- 


w-bein  chol-nephesh 
halah  b'chol-bashar  as  her 
hal-ha-aretz. 


17.  Wa-iaomer 
ael-Noah  zaoth  adth  ha-ber- 
1th  asher  hokimothl  beto-1 
w-beiji  dhol  b  a  s  h  a  r  asher 
hal-ha-aretz. 


18.    Wa-lhiou  benei-Noah  rQflprf  0  D'KV'n  rtT'-lp 
ha-lotzeaim    min-ha-thebah : 

Shem  w-Ham  wa-Japheth:  *$  ^  DCT)  n?TT  DCT1 

w-Ham  houa  abi  Chenahan.  • 


token  of  might,  or  the  creative  law  which  he  gives  to  Noah  and  to 
his  posterity. 

v.  15.       Til?  an-again The   root    Ttf,   expresses   the   idea   of 

a  return  to  the  same  action,  as  I  have  announced  in  v.  19,  ch.  IV. 
It  is  ordinarily  employed  as  adverbial  relation;  but  in  the  example 
here  referred  to,  it  appears  with  the  force  of  a  real  substantive 

governing  the  words    blDtt^  D^TSH,   the-waters  of-the-great-swelling 

This  is  what  has  determined  me  to  make  a  substantive  of  the  word 
again,  to  express  exactly  the  Hebraic  phrase. 

v.  16  and  17.       All  these  terms  are  understood. 

v.    18.        }3?i3,    Chanahan....        I    have    given    in    the    greatest 
detail,    the    etymology    of    the    proper    names    of   Noah's    three    sons, 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


259 


16.  And-t  her  e-shall-b  e 
t  h  e-b  o  w    in-the-cloudy-ex- 
panse ;    a  n  d-I-will-look-up- 
on-it,  to-remember  the-crea- 
ting-law  (laid  down  for)  a- 
boundless-time,     betwixt 
HiM-the-Gods,    and-betwixt- 
all-soul  of-life,  in-every-cor- 
poreal-shape,  w  h  i  c  h-is  on- 
fche-earth. 

17.  And-he-said,    HE-the- 
Gods,  unto-Noah,  this-is  the- 
token    of-the-creating-might 
which  I-caused-to-exist-sub- 
stantially  between-me  and- 
between  every-corporeal- 
shape,  whic  h-is  on-the- 
earth. 

18.  A  n  d-they-were  t  h  e- 
s  o  n  s   o  f-N  o  a  h,    ( his  off- 
spring)   issuing  fro-m-the- 
thebah    (sheltering  abode). 
Shem    (all   that  is  upright 
and  bright),  Ham  (all  that 
is  dark,  curved  and  heated) 
aud-Japheth  (all  that  is  ex- 
tended   and    wide)  :    then- 
Ham  was-himself,   the-fath- 
er     of-Chanahan     (reality, 
material  existence. 


16.  Et-il-sera,  Tare,  dans- 
Tespace-uebuleux ;  et-je-con- 
sidererai-lui     pour-rappeler 
la-loi-creatrice    de-1'iininen- 
si  te-d  e  s-temps    ( existante ) 
entre-LUi-les     Dieux,     et-en- 
tre-toute  ame-vivante,  dans- 
toute-forme-corporelle  q  u  i- 
est  sur-la-terre. 

17.  E  t-i  1-d  i  t,  L  u  i-l  e  s- 
Dieux,  a  Noah,  ceci-est  le- 
s  i  g  n  e  de-la-force-creatrice 
laquelle  j'ai-fait-exister-sub- 
stantiellement  entre-moi  et- 
e  n  t  r  e    toute-forme-corpor- 
elle  qui-est  sur-la-terre. 

18.  Et-ils-furent    les-fils 
de-Noah    (ses    emanations) 
les-sortans  de-l&-thebah  (la 
place  de  refuge),  Shem  (ce 
qui   est  elev6  et  brillant). 
Ham  (ce  qui  est  incline,  ob- 
scur,  et  chaud)   et-Japheth 
(ce  qui  est  Stendu)  :  or-Ham 
fut-lui-meme,    pere    de-Cha- 
nahan    (la    realitS    mater- 
ielle,  1'existence  physique). 


Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth:  here  is  a  fourth,  Chanahan,  whose  sig- 
nification merits  all  the  attention  of  the  reader.  Although  Moses 
declared  him  son  of  Ham  and  that  he  ought,  as  to  his  extraction  to 
he  considered  such,  we  shall  see  nevertheless  a  little  further  on,  that 
this  writer  speaks  of  him  as  a  real  son  of  Noah,  thus  associating 
him  in  the  most  expressive  manner  with  Ham  from  whom  he  issued. 
It  is  because  Ham  and  Chanahan  are  but  one  sole  and  same  thing, 


260        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

19.     Sheloshath  selleh  be-    rfpNDI   !"0~^D   H1?!* 
nei.-Noah  w-m'aelleh  nephet- 
zahchol-ha-aretz. 


20.    Wa-iahel  Noah  Aish 
ha-adamah  wa-ittah  charem. 


one  sole  and  same  cosmogonic  personage,  considered  under  two  dif- 
ferent relations.  Chanahan  once  produced  by  Ham,  becomes  Ham 
himself.  This  name  comes  from  two  distinct  roots:  p  and  ^J>. 
By  the  first,  p,  should  be  understood  all  that  which  enjoys  a  cen- 
tral force  sufficiently  energetic  to  become  palpable,  to  form  a  body 
extended  in  every  sense,  to  acquire  solidity.  This  root  has  many 
analogies  with  the  one  of  which  I  have  spoken  in  explaining  the 
name  of  Kain.  The  only  difference  which  exists  between  them  is 
that  }p,  being  especially  animated  by  the  sign  of  potential  mani- 
festation in  "pp,  has  a  force  of  usurpation  and  of  transmutation  in 
its  proper  nature,  that  the  other  "jp,  has  not.  This  one  seems  re- 
duced to  a  force  of  inertia  which  leaves  it  only  an  existence  purely 
passive  and  material. 

Employed  as  substantive,  the  root  }p  develops  the  idea  of  that 
which  pertains  to  the  reality  of  things  and  to  their  physical  essence. 
As  verb,  it  expresses  the  action  of  fixing  and  affirming,  of  placing 
and  arranging,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 

The  second  root  from  which  the  name  of  Chanahan  comes,  is 
]y  ,  which,  according  to  the  analysis  that  I  have  made  in  v.  13  of 
this  same  chapter,  should  be  understood  as  a  sort  of  nothingness,  of 
materialized  void,  depicted  by  a  heavy  air,  an  obscure  vapour,  a 
dismal  veil,  etc.  So  that  by  now  uniting  the  roots  in  question,  ac- 
cording to  their  different  significations,  we  shall  find  in  ]yfi ,  the 
expression  of  a  realized  nothingness,  of  a  shadowy  air  made  solid  and 
compact,  in  short,  of  a  physical  existence- 

This  physical  existence  sometimes  taken  in  good  or  in  bad  fense, 
has  furnished  a  great  number  of  figurative  expressions  for  the 
Hebraic  tongue.  The  one  most  used  is  that  by  which  one  has 
designated,  by  the  pame  name  of  ^23,  artisans  and  merchants;  that  is 
to  say,  those  who  are  trained  in  real  or  physical  things,  who  traffic 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  261 

19.  Three-were  those  the-        19.     Trois-furent  ceux-te 
o  f  f  s  p  r  i  n  g  of-Noah,  and-  les-fils    (les  etres   emanes) 
through-t  hose   was-shared  de-Noah,-  et-par-ceux-l£  fut- 
the-whole-earth.  partag^e  toute-la-terre. 

20.  And-he-released  (set  20.     Et-il-delivra  (rendit 
free,    redeemed    forcibly),  &  la  liberty  degagea  avec  ef- 
Noah,  the-intellectual-m  a  n  fort)    Noah,  1'homme-iaitel- 
of-the-adamic-ground ;    and-  lectuel   de  Pel6ment-adami- 
thus-he-tilled    what-is-lofty  que;  et-il-cultiva  (ainsi)  ce- 
( spiritual  heights).  qui-est-£lev6  ( les  productions 

spirituelles). 


in,  and  maintain  their  existence  from  them:  it  has  been,  in  the 
course  of  time,  the  cause  of  unenlightened  or  prejudiced  interpreters 
believing  that  the  son  of  Ham  had  been  the  father  of  merchants  and 
perhaps  himself  a  merchant. 

v.  19.       No  difficulties  here. 

T.  20.  bm,  Andrhe-released The  Hellenists,  ever  en- 

grossed in  restricting  to  the  most  insignificant  and  most  trivial 
sense,  the  magnificent  thoughts  of  Moses,  instead  of  seeing  Noah, 
the  preserver  of  elementary  existence,  giving  liberty  to  the  human 
intelligence,  weakened  and  held  captive  not  only  through  the  de- 
gradation of  the  earth,  but  by  the  terrible  catastrophe  which  had 
taken  place,  far  from  seeing  him  restore  birth  to  that  intellectual 
man  whom  the  vices  of  humanity  had  brought  near  to  death,  as  far 
as  death  can  be  approached  by  an  immortal  essence;  the  Hellenists, 
I  say,  see  in  their  Noah  only  a  man  of  the  fields  who  plants  the 
Vine:  ical  ^aro  Nw«  AvOpuirot  yiupyot  yrjt  ical  itpvrevfftv  duwtXuva.  "And 
Noah  began  to  be  an  husbandman,  and  he  planted  a  vineyard." 

The  author  of  the  Latin  Vulgate  has  faithfully  rendered  this  sin- 
gular idea,  and  has  even  augmented  it  by  a  verb  which  is  found 
neither  in  the  Greek,  nor  even  in  the  Hebrew:  "ccepit  que  Noe,  vir 
agricola,  exercere  terrain:  et  plantavit  vineam." 

But    there    is    not   a    word    of    all    that    in    the    text    of    Moses. 


262         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

21.  Wa-lesheth  min-ha- 
jtn :  wa-ishecchar,  wa-itheg- 
gal  bethodh  aholoh. 


First,  it  is  necessary  to  distort  grievously  the  rert)  Vn"1,  to  make 
it  say,  and  he  began.  This  verb  is  derived  from  the  root  Vn,  which 
as  I  have  already  stated  on  several  occasions,  develops  the  general 
idea  of  an  effort  made  upon  a  thing  to  extend  it,  to  draw  it  out,  to 
lead  it  toward  another,  to  be  clasped  there,  etc.  This  root,  verbalized  by 
the  convertible  sign  1,  offers,  in  the  radical  verb  bin,  an  idea  of 
suffering  caused  by  the  violent  effort  that  one  makes  upon  oneself, 
or  upon  another;  and  thence,  the  accessory  ideas  of  wringing,  of 
moving  in  a  convulsive  manner,  of  suffering;  of  taking  courage,  of 
being  hardened  against  pain,  of  waiting,  of  hoping,  etc.  The  dif- 
ferent compounds  of  this  radical,  formed  either  by  the  initial  adjunc- 
tions •'or  J,  or  by  the  redoubling  of  the  final  character  b,  par- 
ticipate more  or  less  in  its  original  signification.  They  always 
signify  opening  a  thing,  resolving,  dissolving,  extracting,  bringing 
to  light,  making  public,  taking  possession  of,  etc. 

It  must  be  seen  after  this  explanation,  that  the  most  exact  mean- 
ing which  can  be  given  to  the  expression  of  Moses,  is  not  he  began, 
which  can  only  be  applied  to  the  accessory  idea  of  opening;  but 
rather,  he  released  which  proceeds  from  the  first  idea.  The  Sam- 
aritan translator  and  the  Chaldaic  paraphrast,  agree  with  me  upon 
thir  point:  the  former,  using  the  verb /jj^***,  and  the  latter,  its 
analogue  ^ITZ?,  which  expresses  the  action  of  emitting,  permitting, 
allowing,  letting  go;  as  is  proved  by  the  Syriacfjjt,  and  the  Arabic 
oj3,  which  are  attached  to  the  same  root  TUP,  whose  literal 
meaning  is  to  direct  and  regulate  a  thing. 

But  let  us  continue  the  analysis  of  this  important  verse.  Moses 
said  therefore,  not  that  Noah  began  to  be  an  husbandman,  but  that 
be  released  intellectual  man  from  the  adamic  element,  and  opened 
for  him  a  new  career.  The  word  E?"X  which  he  uses  in  this  in- 
stance, has  been  sufficiently  explained  in  v.  23,  ch.  IV.  It  is  after 
the  revivification  of  this  principle,  that  he  applies  himself  to  cul- 
tivate that  which  is  lofty  or  sublime.  Now,  it  was  quite  simple, 
after  having  made  an  agricultural  man  of  Noah,  to  see  in  this 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  263 

21.  A  n  d-h  e  -  saturated-  21.  Et-il-s'abreuva  de-ce- 
himself  with-what-is  spirit-  qui-est  spiritueux;  et-il-ex- 
uous ;  a  n  d-h  e-intoxicated-  alta-sa-pens6e  (donna  un  es- 
his-thought  (gave  a  delir-  sor  violent  £  son  imaginat- 
ions movement  to  his  fan-  ion) ;  et-il-se-r6vela  dans-le- 
cy) ;  a  n  d-h  e-revealed-him-  centre  (dans  le  lieu  le  plus 
self-in-the-bottom  (in  the  secret)  du-tabernacle-a-lui. 
most  secret  part)  of-the-ta- 
bernacle-his-own. 


spiritual  elevation,  a  vineyard,  the  name  of  which  taken  in  the 
physical  order,  was  synonymous:  and  instead  of  the  spirit,  produc- 
tion of  this  same  elevation,  wine,  equally  synonymous  with  spirit. 

For  what  does  the  word  213 ,  that  the  Hellenists  have  rendered 
by  d/»irXwwi,  signify?  It  signifies  not  only  a  vineyard,  but  a  thing 
pertaining  to  an  elevation,  to  an  exaltation  literally  as  well  as 
figuratively.  It  is  formed  from  the  root  21 ,  which  characterizes 
that  which  moves  upward  from  below,  in  the  manner  of  a  flame,  em- 
ployed as  substantive,  and  inflected  by  the  assimilative  article  3.  In 
the  figurative  sense,  213,  designates  an  exaltation,  a  sublime  move- 
ment of  the  understanding;  in  the  literal  sense  a  vine,  a  spirituous 
plant  which  enjoys  elevated  places,  and  which  one  raises  higher  by 
means  of  trellises  and  poles.  I  must  say,  besides,  for  those  of  my 
readers  who  might  imagine  that  the  word  213  has  never  before 
been  taken  in  the  figurative  sense  that  I  give  it,  that  this  word, 
famous  throughout  all  Asia,  signified,  in  Chaldaic,  a  splendid  thing,  an 
academy,  an  assemblage  of  savants,  that  the  Syriac  (ioo^o,  designates 
strength;  the  Arabic  f^  ,  generosity,  greatness  of  soul;  that  this 
word  expresses  the  action  of  fire  in  Coptic,  as  it  expresses  it  morally 
in  Egyptian;  that  in  the  Sanskrit  tongue,  Karma  or  Kirmo,  is  taken 
for  the  motive  faculty,  the  movement.  It  is  from  the  word  213,  that 
the  Greek  tongue  has  drawn  xcw0"}*  jubilation,  and  ipftovla,  har- 
mony. It  is  from  the  word  D13  in  fact,  and  this  etymology  is 
worthy  of  close  attention,  that  the  Latin  word  "carmen",  poetry.  Is 
derived;  the  word  charm  is  the  same  as  "carmen"  only  altered  by 
pronunciation. 


264        THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


22.     Wa-fara  Ham  abl    rtfT\     fiN   #£)  O8  DH 

6  iTa^aghfd  IMhfi**  ahl-6 
ba-houtz. 


v.  21.  pprp,  with-what-is-spirituous The  word  ]"s , 

which,  in  the  natural  order  signifies  simply  wine,  designates  in  the 
moral  order,  and  according  to  the  figurative  and  hieroglyphic  sense, 
a  spiritual  essence,  the  knowledge  of  which  has  passed  in  all  times, 
as  belonging  to  the  most  profound  mysteries  of  Nature.  All  those 
who  have  written  of  it,  represent  this  mysterious  essence  as  a  thing 
whose  profoundness  cannot  be  known  without  revelation.  The  Kab- 
balists  are  accustomed  to  say,  in  speaking  of  this  wine,  that  he  who 
drank  of  it  would  know  all  the  secrets  of  the  sages.  I  can  only  offer 
to  the  reader  the  grammatical  analysis  of  the  Hebrew  word,  leaving 
the  rest  to  his  sagacity. 

I  have  often  spoken  during  the  course  of  my  "notes  of  the  root 
}*N  ,  which  enjoys  the  unusual  privilege  of  characterizing  alternately, 
being  and  nothingness,  everything  and  nothing.  Refer  v.  2,  ch.  IV; 
v.  25,  ch.  V;  v.  8,  ch.  VII,  and  v.  13  of  the  present  chapter. 

It  is  evident  that  this  root,  emerging  from  the  deepest  abysses 
of  Nature,  rises  toward  being  or  falls  toward  nothingness,  propor- 
tionally, as  the  two  mother  vowels  IK,  enlighten  or  obscure  it. 
From  its  very  principle,  it  suffices  to  materialize  or  to  spiritualize 
the  convertible  sign  1,  in  order  to  fix  its  expression  upon  objects 
genuine  or  false.  Thus  one  sees  it  in  fix,  virtue,  strength,  valour; 
and  in  px,  vice,  vanity,  cowardice;  in  ^v,  the  generative  faculty  of 
Nature;  in  yp,  the  clay  of  the  earth. 

In  the  word  here  referred  to,  the  two  vowels  are  not  only  en- 
lightened but  replaced  by  the  sign  of  potential  manifestation  \ 
image  of  intellectual  duration.  This  sign  being  doubled  constitutes, 
among  the  Chaldeans,  one  of  the  proper  names  of  the  Divinity. 
United  to  the  final  sign  ],  it  seems,  if  I  can  so  express  it,  to  offer 
the  very  body  of  that  which  is  incorporeal.  It  is  a  spiritual 
essence  which  many  peoples  and  particularly  the  Egyptians,  have 
considered  under  the  emblem  of  light.  Thus,  for  example,  one  finds 
in  the  Coptic,  O&uw,  light  or  torch.  It  is  in  conceiving  this  essence 
under  the  form  of  spirit,  that  these  same  peoples,  choosing  for  it 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  265 

22.     And-he-did-discover,  22.    Et-il-considera  Ham, 

Ham,  the-father-o  f   Ghana-  pere  de-Chanahan,   les-pro- 

han,  the-self -secret-parts  of-  pres-mysteres-s  e  c  r  e  t  s  du- 

the-father-his-own,  a  n  d-he-  pere-sien ;   e  t-il-les-divulgua 

blabbed-o  u  t    t  o-b  o  t  h-bro-  aux-deux-freres-a-lui  dans  P 

thers-h  i  s-o  w  n,    in-the-out-  enceinte-ext6rieure. 
ward-enclosure. 


an  emblem  more  within  the  reach  of  the  vulgar,  have  taken  for  its 
physical  envelope  wine,  that  liquor  so  vaunted  in  all  the  ancient 
mysteries  because  of  the  spirit  which  it  contains  and  of  which  it 
was  the  symbol.  This  is  the  origin  of  these  words  which,  coming 
from  the  same  root  appear  so  different  in  signification:  pz*<  being, 
and  y*.  wine,  of  which  the  Greek  analogues  offer  the  same  phenom- 
enon: &9  being,  and  otvot,  wine. 

It  is  useless  to  continue  these  comparisons.  However  I  can- 
not refrain  from  saying  that  it  is  by  an  almost  inevitable  con- 
sequence of  this  double  sense  attached  to  the  word  y*,  that  the 
cosmogonic  personage  called  Aiovwroj,  Dionysus,  by  the  Greeks, 
has  finally  designated  for  the  vulgar,  only  the  god  of  wine,  after 
having  been  the  emblem  of  spiritual  light;  and  that  the  same  word 
which  we  use  has  become  such,  only  as  a  result  of  the  same  degrada- 
tion of  the  sense  which  was  attached  to  it,  a  degradation  always 
coincident  with  the  hardening  of  the  mother  vowel:  for,  from  the 
word  I""*,  is  formed  the  Teutonic  wein,  the  Latin  "vinum",  and 
the  French  vin. 

The  Samaritan  translator  makes  use  in  this  place  of  the  word 
**fP£2fi7  ,  and  the  Chaldaic  paraphrast  has  imitated  him  in  employ- 
ing the  analogue  Xlttn.  These  two  terms  springing  from  the  two 
contracted  roots  "P2~2n ,  designate  that  which  dominates  by  its  vigour, 
or  simply  that  which  heats  and  lights. 

12»zn  ,  and-he-intoxicated-his-thought After  the  long  and 

detailed  explanations  into  which  I  have  entered,  the  reader  should 
have  no  more  need,  except  for  the  grammatical  proof  of  the  meaning 
that  I  give  to  this  word  or  that  I  shall  give  to  those  which  follow. 
The  word  *ct?  signifies  thought,  the  comprehension  of  the  soul.  It 
is  attached  to  the  Arabic  l£> ,  he  reflected,  he  thought.  This  word, 
united  to  the  sign  of  movement  proper  ~\ ,  forms  the  verb  TOE ,  to 
exalt  one's  thought,  to  be  intoxicated,  to  be  carried  away,  etc. 


266         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


23.  Wa-ikkah  Shem  wa- 
J  a  p  h  e  t  h  aeth-ha-shimelah 
wa-Lhimou  hal-shech-em 
shenel-hem:  w'lele  dhou 
ahoranith  wa-!.echassou  seth- 

herwath  abi-hem:  w-phenet-    W^  nT«}  BSfW 
hem   ahoranith  w-herwath  •  ^-j  ^ 

abi-hemloa  raou. 


,  and-he-revealed-himself-wholly  ----  Here  it  is  the  verb 
revea/,  employed  according  to  the  reciprocal  form,  in 
the  future  made  past  by  the  convertible  sign  1.  The  Hellenists, 
always  adhering  to  the  trivial  and  gross  meaning,  and  seeing  in  JVoaTi, 
an  husbandman  overcome  -with  wine,  could  not  acknowledge  the 
meaning  of  this  verb.  Also,  instead  of  saying  that  Noah  revealed 
himself,  they  have  said  that  he  stripped  himself  of  his  garments: 
et  nudatus  est". 


v.  22.  rThynX,  the-secret-mysteries-his-own  ____  This  was  a 
consequence  of  the  exaltation  of  Noah,  that  he  revealed  and  dis- 
closed the  mysteries  which  ought  to  have  remained  hidden.  The 
Hellenists,  faithful  to  their  custom  of  looking  at  things,  might  have 
translated  by  the  word  alSoTa,  that  which  they  supposed  Ham  had 
looked  upon  in  his  father;  but  it  appears  that  they  did  not  dare. 
Saint  Jerome,  less  scrupulous,  has  ingenuously  said  "verenda  nu- 
data".  It  is  certain  that  the  Hebrew  word  Dliy,  might  have  this 
sense,  in  every  other  circumstance,  if  the  rest  of  the  discourse  had 
been  relative  to  it;  but  it  is  quite  easy  to  see  here,  that  this  word 
taken  in  a  figurative  acceptation,  expresses  what  the  Chaldeans  have 
always  made  it  signify;  that  is  to  say,  the  mysteries  of  nature,  the 
secrets,  a  hidden  doctrine,  etc.  Also  the  Samaritan  word  is  -worthy 
of  comment:  ^^3***%^  expresses,  according  to  the  Chaldaic  roots 
from  which  it  springs,  that  which  must  remain  hidden. 


v.  23.  nttBn-nK,  the-very-left-garment  .....  All  the  hierogly- 
phic force  of  this  verse  is  contained  in  this  word.  Moses  has 
chosen  it  with  an  art  of  which  he,  and  his  instructors,  the  Priests 
of  Egyptian  Thebes,  were  alone  capable.  To  explain  it  entirely  is 
for  the  moment,  an  impossible  thing.  It  would  demand,  in  order 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  267 

23.     And-he-took,  Shem  23.    Et-il-prit,  Shem  avec 

with  Japhcth,  the-very-left-  J aphcth,    le-propre-vete- 

garment;  and-they-uplifted-  m  e  n  t-de-la-gauche,   et-ils-1' 

it   upon-the-b  a  c  k  of-them-  eleverent  sur-le-dos  de-tous- 

both;    and-they-went    back-  deux;  et-ils  allerent  en  ar- 

ward ;  and-they-covered  the-  riere  e  t-i  1  s-couvrirent  les- 

mysterious-parts    o  f-the-fa-  mysteres    caches    du-pere-a- 

ther-their's ;  and-their-faces-  eux;  et-les  faces-a-eux-etai- 

were  backward ;  so-the-mys-  ent  en-arriere :  ainsi-les-rays- 

terious-parts     of-the-father-  teres  -  caches  du-pere-&  -  eux 

their's  not-did-they-see.  non-pas-ils-virent. 


to  be  understood  and  proved,  a  commentary  more  exhaustive  than 
this  volume.  Perhaps  I  may  one  day  have  the  good  fortune  to 
demonstrate  to  what  point  this  mighty  cosmologist  has  understood 
the  history  of  the  universe. 

The  root  of  this  important  word,  is  the  same  name  as  one  of 
the  beings  emanated  from  Noah,  DE?  Shem,  which  as  we  have  seen, 
characterizes  that  which  is  raised,  brilliant,  remarkable.  By  means 
of  the  directive  sign  b,  which  is  here  joined,  this  root  is  applied,  in 
the  figurative  sense,  to  the  Septentrion,  to  the  Boreal  pole,  to  that 
pole  of  the  earth  which  dominates  the  other.  I  beg  the  reader  to 
notice  this  point.  In  a  more  restricted  sense  it  designates  the  left 
side.  It  is  known  that  among  the  most  ancient  peoples,  this  side 
was  the  noblest  and  most  honoured.  When,  in  those  remote  times, 
a  Sabaean  priest  turned  his  face  toward  the  orient  to  worship  the 
Sun,  dazzling  emblem  of  the  Being  of  beings,  he  had  on  his  left, 
the  Boreal  pole,  and  on  his  right  the  Austral  pole;  and  as  he  was 
more  initiated  in  the  astronomic  science  than  our  modern  savants 
ordinarily  imagine,  he  knew  that  one  of  these  poles  was  raised, 
whilst  the  other  was  inclined  toward  the  equinoctial  line. 

But  without  dwelling  now  upon  these  comparisons  which  will 
find  their  place  elsewhere,  I  shall  content  myself  with  saying  that 
in  the  most  ancient  customs,  the  left  side  of  a  man  was  always  the 
first  enveloped  and  the  most  covered.  Still  in  this  day  certain 
peoples,  attached  to  the  ceremonies  of  their  ancestors,  envelop  the 
left  arm  before  making  their  prayers.  The  modern  Jews  call  C'Vca 
the  cords  which  serve  them  for  this  usage.  From  this  habit  spring 
many  analogous  expressions.  The  Hebrews  called  the  kind  of  gar- 
ment which  enveloped  this  side  nb&fe,  from  the  word  bw,  the 


268         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

24.     Wa-i&etz  Noah  mi-     -^g  ^  y^  -j^p  nj 
jein-6:  wa-iedah  ?eth  asher 
hashah  I'd  ben-6  ha-katan.  :  KBD  »?  * 


25.    Wa-laomer :   a  r  o  u  r     r^-py  -qy 
Chenahan,  h e b  ed  hobadim 
ihieh  l'sehi-6. 


26.  Wa-iaomer:  barouch, 
IH6AH  ^Elohei-Shem :  w'ihl 
Chenahan  hebed  lam-6. 


27.  Japheth  ^lohlm  P 
Jepheth,  w'ishechori  b'aho- 
lel-Shem:  w'fjil  Chenahan  J  107 

hebed  lam-6. 


left  side.  The  Arabs  had  the  verb  J~i  which  expressed  the  action 
of  enveloping,  of  girding,  of  folding  the  left  side,  of  turning  toward 
the  north;  the  Syrians,  attaching  more  to  the  respect  that  this 
action  inspired  in  them,  than  to  the  action  itself,  designated  it  by 

the  word  o££Mk,  perfection,  the  aim  toward  which  one  tends,  the 
accomplishment  of  things,  holy  ordination,  etc. 

The  reader  should  feel  now  that  the  Hellenists,  having  seen  in 
the  word  nbttE?  only  a  simple  mantle  IfMrtov,  have  perceived  only 
the  gross  exterior  of  a  profound  meaning,  that  MoSes,  besides,  has 
not  wished  to  explain  otherwise  than  to  attach  it  to  the  root  CE» 
vvhich  designates  one  of  the  sons  of  Noah,  and  the  name  of  the  gar- 
ment with  which  he  covered  his  father,  "bttB,  as  well  as  the  verb 
itself  which  serves  to  express  this  action,  CE*. 

v.  24.    V-'p1""1'  the-little-one This  word  offers  no  difficulty; 

but   it   indicates   that  Moses   places   no   difference   between   Chanahan 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


269 


24.  A  n  d  -  h  e-recovered, 
Noah  fro  m-the-spirituous- 
delirium-his-o  w  n :  and-h  e- 
knew  what  bad-done  to-him 
the-little-one  (the  younger 
son). 


24.  Et-il-revint,  Noah  de 
1'exaltation-spiritueuse-sien- 
ne,  et-il-connut  ce  qu'avait- 
fait  &  lui  le  petit  (la  moin- 
dre  la  derniere  production). 


25.     And-he-said :  cursed-  25.     Et-il-dit :  m  a  u  d  i  t- 

be  Chanahan;  servant  of-  soit     Chanahan;     serviteur 

servants  he-s  h  a  1 1-be  unto-  des-serviteurs,  il-s  era  aux- 

the-brothers-his-own.  freres-siens. 


26.  And-he-said:  blessed- 
be  IHOAH,  HE-the-Gods  of- 
Shem;  smti-let-be-Chanahan 
servant  toward-t  b  e-collect- 
ion-of-him. 


26.  Et-il-dit:  soit-beni- 
IHOAH,  Lui-les-D  i  e  u  x  de 
Shem;  et-qu'il-soit,  Chana- 
han, serviteur  envers-la-col- 
lection-sienne. 


27.  He-will-give  exten- 
sion, HE-the-Gods  to  Jap- 
heth,  (what  is  extended) 
who-shall-direct  his-a  bode 
in-the-tabernacles  of-Shem : 
a  n  d-he-shall-be,  Chanahan, 
a-servant  to-t  h  e-collection- 
of-him. 


27.  Il-donnera-de-reten- 
due,  LUi-les-Dieux  k-Jap- 
heth  (ce  qui  est  6tendu) ; 
qui-dirigera  sa-d  e  m  e  u  r  e 
d  a  n  s-1  e  s-tabernacles  d  e  - 
Shem:  et-il-sera,  Chanahan, 
serviteur  d  e  - 1  a-collection- 
sienne. 


and  his  father  H  am;  as  this  appears  plainly,  moreover,  in  the  verses 
following,  where  Noah  curses  Chanahan,  for  a  fault  of  which  Ham 
alone  is  culpable  toward  him. 

v.  25.      These  terms  are  clear. 

v.    26.        *ttb,    toward-the-collection-of-him If    Moses    had 

written  simply  "ft  his,  it  would  have  indicated  only  that  Chanahan 
would  be  subject  to  Shem;  but  in  adding,  by  an  ellipsis  which  has 
not  been  felt  by  his  translators,  the  collective  sign  D  to  the  direc- 
tive article  b,  he  has  made  understood,  that  it  would  be  equally  BO 
to  that  which  would  emanate  from  Shem,  to  that  which  would  be  of 
the  same  nature,  to  that  which  would  form  the  whole  of  his  being. 


270         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

28.  Wa-lhi  Noah  ahar 
ha-mabboul  shelosh  madth 
shanah  wa-hamishim  sha- 
nah. 


29.     Wa-lh].ou  chol-iemei- 

Noah  theshah  madth  sha-  .  .        . 

nah,  wa-hamishlm  shanah:  :  n°2  ^W  °W$  fW 

wa-!amoth. 


T.  27.  HO",  he-will-give-extension This  verb  taken  from 

the  same  root  as  the  name  of  Japheth,  is  very  remarkable. 

pBn  ,  who-shall-direct-his-abode It  must  be  remembered 

that  the  abode  of  the  ancient  peoples  to  whom  Moses  makes  allusion 
here,  was  transported  from  one  country  to  another  with  the  people 
itself,  and  was  not  so  fixed  as  it  became  in  time.  The  verb  }'OE? 
expresses  besides,  a  movement  of  usurpation,  of  taking  possession; 
being  formed  from  the  root  yo,  governed  by  the  sign  of  relative 
movement  E?. 

v.  28  and  29.  These  terms  have  been  sufficiently  explained  in 
ch.  V.  That  is  to  say,  that  the  signification  I  give  them  here  has 
been  grammatically  proved.  The  reader  should  not  forget  in  run- 
ning through  these  Notes,  that  grammatical  proof  has  been  my  only 
pledge,  and  the  only  one  I  could  possibly  fulfill  without  entering 
into  lengthy  commentaries.  In  translating  the  Cosmogony  of  Moses, 
my  purpose  has  been  firpt,  to  make  the  sense  of  the  words  employed 
by  this  hierographic  writer  understood  by  following  step  by  step  the 
grammatical  principles  which  I  had  set  down  in  advance  in  restor- 
ing his  tongue.  As  to  what  concerns  his  ideas  and  the  ensemble 
of  his  doctrine,  that  is  a  different  point.  Moses,  in  enveloping  it 
designedly  with  veils,  has  followed  the  method  of  the  Egyptian 
priests  among  whom  he  had  been  brought  up.  This  method  has 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  271 

28.  And-he-lived    Noah,  28.      Et-il-vecut,    Noah, 
after    t  h  e-great-swelling,  apres    la-g  r  a  n  d  e-iutumes- 
t  h  r  e  e-hundreds  of-beiug's-  cence,  trois-centaines-de-mu- 
revolving-change,  a  n  d-five-  tation  -  ontologique-tempor  - 
tens  of-revolution.  elle,  et-cinq-decuples  de-mu- 
tation. 

29.  And-t  h  e  y-were  all- 

the-days  (manifested  lights)  29.  E  t-furent,  tous-les- 
of-Noah,  nine-hundreds-of-  jours  (les  manifestations  lu- 
revolving-change,  and-fi^e-  mineuses)  de-Noah,  neuf- 
tens  of-revolution;  and-he-  centaines-de-mutation-tem- 
deceased.  porelle  et-cinq-decuples  de- 

mutation;  et-il-passa. 


been  from  all  time  that  of  the  theosophists.  A  work  of  this  nature 
•wherein  the  most  vast  and  most  complicated  ideas  are  enclosed  in  a 
very  small  quantity  of  words,  and  being  crowded,  as  it  were,  into 
the  smallest  space  possible,  has  need  of  certain  developments  to  be 
entirely  comprehended.  I  have  already  promised  to  give  these 
developments  later  on,  doing  for  his  doctrine  what  has  been  done 
for  that  of  Pythagoras;  and  I  shall  give  them  if  my  labour  is  judged 
useful  for  the  welfare  of  humanity.  I  shall  not  be  able  to  enter  at 
present  into  the  discussions  which  they  will  necessarily  involve, 
without  injuring  the  clarity  of  my  grammatical  explanations  already 
difficult  enough  in  themselves.  The  reader  no  doubt  will  have 
remarked  certain  reticences  in  this  respect,  and  perhaps  he  will 
have  been  shocked;  but  they  were  indispensable.  I  only  beg  him  to 
believe  that  these  reticences,  in  whatever  manner  they  may  be  pre- 
sented, have  not  been  for  the  purpose  of  concealing  any  evil  meaning, 
any  meaning  injurious  to  the  doctrine  of  Moses,  neither  any  which 
could  call  in  question  his  dogmas  upon  the  unity  of  GOD,  the  spiritual- 
ity and  immortality  of  the  soul,  nor  shake  in  the  slighest  the  pro- 
found veneration  of  this  sacred  writer  for  the  Divinity. 


272        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
SEPHER  BER^ESHITH  ^   D^K"13   "ISO 


1.     W'aelleh  th6-ledoth    0(1  D5 
benei-Noah  Shem  Ham  wa-    ^   Q^   ^  nu,vl 
Japheth  wa-iwaledou  la-hem 
banlm  ahar  ha-mabboul. 


This  tenth  chapter,  belonging  to  a  new  order  of  things  and 
presenting  a  geologic  tableau  quite  different  from  that  which  pre- 
cedes, I  would  refrain  from  translating,  if  I  had  not  been  forced, 
In  order  to  terminate  the  Cosmogony,  properly  so-called,  of  which  it 
is  the  complement.  But  not  wishing  to  increase  indefinitely  these 
notes  already  very  long,  I  refrain  from  all  development  and  all  com- 
parison. The  reader  will  feel  very  well,  in  examining  the  version 
of  the  Hellenists  and  that  of  Saint  Jerome,  into  what  interminable 
discussion,  I  would  have  been  drawn;  there  is  not  a  single  word  of 
this  chapter  which  could  not  give  rise  to  several  volumes  of  com- 
mentaries; I  am  limited  to  presenting  briefly  the  etymological  proof 
of  the  meaning  which  I  assign  to  the  physical  and  metaphysical 
terms,  of  which  the  Hellenists,  true  to  their  method  of  materializing 
and  restricting  everything,  have  made  so  many  proper  names  of 
individuals.  I  have  said,  and  I  think  proved  sufficiently,  that  Noah 
and  the  productions  emanated  from  him,  Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth, 
ought  not  to  be  taken  for  men  of  blood,  of  flesh  and  bone:  therefore 
I  shall  dispense  with  repeating  and  proving  it  'again:  assuming  that 
an  impartial  reader  will  not  hesitate  to  admit  with  me  that  these 
cosmogonic  principles  becoming  developed,  could  not  bring  forth 
human  individuals,  but  other  geologic  principles,  such  as  I  represent 
them.  The  concatenation  of  this  doctrine  would  alone  be  sufficient 
proof,  even  if  a  mass  of  other  proofs  were  not  piled  up  beforehand, 
to  give  it  the  force  of  a  mathematical  demonstration. 

I  ought,  however,  to  warn  the  reader,  that  in  the  exposition  of 
a  system  of  geology  so  extraordinary,  placed  in  the  midst  of  a  mass 
of  new  ideas,  the  analogous  words  have  often  failed  me  in  French 
as  well  as  in  English;  and  that  instead  of  exaggerating  the  sense 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  273 

GENESIS  X.  COSMOGONIE  X. 


1.     No w-these-are    the-  1.     Or-celles-ci-sont  1  e s- 

symbolical-progenies  of-the-  caracte>istiques-gen6rations 

isued-beings  of-Noah :  Shem  des-etres-Smanes-de-N  o  a  h : 

(what     is     upright     and  Shem   (ce  qui  est  direct  et 

bright),  Ham  (what  is  cur-  inclin6  et  chaud),  Ham  (ce 

ved  and   heated)    and-n/ap-  qui  est  inclinS  et  chaud),  et- 

heth  (what  is  extended  and  Japheth  (ce  qui  est  gtccdii)  : 

wide)  :  which-were-begotten  lesquelles-furent-produites 

through-t  hem,    issued-off-  envers-e  u  x,   Emanations   d' 

spring  after  the-great-swell-  apres  la-grande-intumescen- 

ing  (of  waters).  ce  (des  eaux). 


of  the  Hebraic  expressions,  as  one  will  be  tempted  to  believe  I  have 
done,  I  have,  on  the  contrary,  been  obliged  more  than  once  to  weak- 
en them.  However  extraordinary  my  assertion  may  appear  to 
modern  savants,  It  Is  none  the  less  true  to  say  that  the  geologic 
sciences  among  the  ancient  Egyptians  were  more  advanced  in  every 
way  than  among  us.  So  that  many  of  their  ideas  coming  from 
certain  principles  which  we  lack,  had  enriched  their  tongue  with 
metaphorical  terms,  whose  analogues  have  not  yet  appeared  in  our 
European  idioms.  It  is  a  thing  that  time  and  experience  will  de- 
monstrate to  those  who  might  doubt,  in  proportion  as  their  under- 
standing develops;  let  them  be  occupied  more  with  things  than  with 
words,  and  let  them  penetrate  more  and  more  into  the  depths  which 
I  have  opened  for  them. 

v.  1.      These  terms  have  been  previously  explained. 

v.   2.        1)23,   Oomer This  word  is  composed  of  the  con- 

tracted roots  1X-CX  one  of  which  03,  contains  every  idea  of  accumula- 
tion, augmentation,  complement;  and  the  other,  IX,  is  applied  to 
elementary  principle. 

tfyM,    and    Magog The    root    DIX    which    expresses    a 

movement  being  opposed  to  itself,  indicates  in  the  word  3*iX  an 
extension  continued,  elastic,  pushed  to  its  utmost  limits.  This  word 


274        THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  KESTORED 

2.     Benef-Japheth  Gomer 


3.    W-benei  Gomer  Ashec-     HfiHl 
henaz  w-  Klphath  w-Thogar- 
mah. 


governed  by  the  sign  of  exterior  action  J2,  characterizes  that  faculty 
of  matter,  by  which  it  is  extended  and  lengthened,  without  there 
being  any  solution  of  continuity. 

^"Ittl ,  and-M adai ....  These  are  the  two  contracted  roots 
•H'ltt  ,  the  one,  expressing  that  which  fills  its  measure,  that  which 
is  commensurable;  the  other,  that  which  abounds,  which  suffices. 

JV1,  and-Jawan I  have  given  the  history  of  this  word, 

which  I  read  Ion,  in  v.  18,  ch.  VIII. 

Van!,  and-Thubal This  word  is  composed  of  the  well 

known  root  ^2,  governed  by  the  sign  of  reciprocity  n. 

"]S?ttl,  and-M eshech....  This  word  is  composed  of  the  root 
-]ft,  developing  every  idea  of  perception,  conception,  speculation, 
governed  by  the  sign  of  exterior  and  plastic  action  72. 

DVnl,  and-TMrass The  root  "in  contains  every  idea  of 

determination  given  to  element.  It  is  a  definition,  a  stable  form 
in  INJ-i;  it  is  a  disposition,  a  condition,  a  mode  of  being,  in 
"Tin ,  or  Vn ;  it  is>  in  the  word  Din ;  an  impenetrable  thing,  a 
resistance,  a  persistence,  an  opposition. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


275 


2.  T  h  e-issued-offspring 
of  Japheth  (that  which  is 
extended)  (were)  :  Gomer 
(elemental  heap),  and-i/a- 
gog  (elastic  stretching  pow- 
er), and-J/  a  d  a  i  ( mensura- 
bility,  mensural  indefinite 
capacity),  and-/cw  (genera- 
tive ductileness),  and-TViu- 
bal  (diffusive  motion),  and- 
Meshech  (perceptible 
cause),  and-77imm  (modal- 
ity, modal  accident). 


3.  A  n  d-t  h  e-issued-off- 
spring of-Gomer  (elemental 
heap)  (were)  :  Ashedhenaz 
(latent  fire),  and-Riphath 
(rarity,  centrifugal  force), 
a  n  d-Thogormah  (density, 
universal  centripetal  force). 


2.  L  e  s-productions-em- 
anees  de  Japheth  (1'eten- 
du)  (furent)  :  Gomer  (la 
cumulation  elementaire),et- 
Magog  (la  facultS  exten- 
sive, glastique),  et-Madai 
(la  facult6  commensurable, 
celle  de  suffire  toujours  et 
de  se  diviser  &  Pinfini),  et- 
lon  (la  ductilit6  genera- 
tive), et-Thubal  (la  diffus- 
sion,  le  melange),  et-Mes- 
hech  (la  perceptibility,  et- 
Thirass  (la  modalitS,  la  fa- 
culte  de  parattre  sous  une 
forme  impassible), 

3.  E  t  •  1  e  s-productions- 
eman£es  de  Gomer  (la  cum- 
mulation  61ementaire)  (fu- 
rent) :  Aschedhenaz  (le  feu 
latent,  le  calorique),  et  Rip- 
hath  (la  rarit^,  cause  de  F 
expansion ) ,  e  t-Thogormah 
(la  density  cause  de  la  cen- 
tralisation universelle). 


v.  3.  T23EN,  Ashedhenaz This  extraordinary  word  comes 

from  three  roots.  The  first,  E?X ,  quite  well  known,  designates 
the  igneous  principle;  the  second  p,  characterizes  that  which 
serves  as  basis,  as  foundation;  that  which  is  gathered  together, 
heaped  up;  and  finally  the  third  TJ,  expresses  that  which  makes  its 
influence  felt  in  its  vicinity.  It  was  impossible  to  characterize  bet- 
ter that  which  the  modern  physicists  have  named  coJoic. 

nC'H,  Ripath This  is  the  same  name  as  Japheth  nD* 

governed  by  the  sign  of  movement  proper  1. 

nttian,  Thogormah This  is  the  root  Tin,  designating  all 

giratory  movement,  all  action  which  brings  the  being  back  upon 


276         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


4.     W-benei  Jawan  ^11-     0^5  &*itftyy\  m^'^  ]V  * 
shah    w-Tharshish    Chithim  \ 

w-Dodanim.  * 


5.     Me-aelleh    nipheredou     D'lJin   "N   1*1*193 

:%££££$  w$K;i& 

hehoth'am  b'gdelhem.  ;  0113? 


itself  and  fixes  it.  This  root  is  universalized  by  the  collective  sign 
C,  and  governed  by  that  of  reciprocity  n.  The  compound  Cli 
characterizes  in  general,  that  which  is  solid  and  hard,  and  in  partic- 
ular, the  bones,  the  boney  structure  of  the  body. 

v.  4.  "Erbx ,  JEHshah ....  In  this  word,  two  contracted  roots 
should  be  distinguished,  Efib'bx  :  the  first  ^X,  designates  a  superior 
force:  the  second,  ElV,  an  action  which  dilutes,  kneads,  and  makes 
a  compact  thing  ductile.  The  Chaldaic  word  NEnbx,  signifies  a  mul- 
titude, a  crowd. 

BPEnrfi,  and  Tharshish . . .  The  root  EX1  is  known  to  us  as 
expressing  motive  principle.  This  root,  of  which  the  last  character 
is  doubled,  marks  an  intense  and  mutual  principiation,  a  separation 
among  things  of  a  divers  nature. 

2TD ,  of-the-Chuthites ....  The  root  ni3 ,  develops  every  ac- 
tion of  cutting  off,  of  intrenching,  of  striking.  The  Chaldaic  rD  de- 
signates schism,  schismatic,  reprobate,  damned,  etc. 

0*j-rn  ,  and-the-Dodanites Here  it  is  the  root  TH,  expres- 
sing that  which  attracts,  pleases  and  mutually  suffices,  whose  expres- 
sion is  again  increased  by  the  addition  of  the  extensive  sign  ]. 

v.    5.        0**i~    "'X ,    the-propending-centres-of-reunion    of-the-social- 

bodies The  Hellenists  have  seen  here     iHfcoi    rdv    Mvwv,      isles 

of  the  nations.     It  can  be   clearly  seen   that  this   separation  of  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


277 


4.  And-the-i  s  s  u  e  d-off- 
spring  of -I  on  (generative 
ductileness)  (were)  :  ^Eli- 
shah  (diluent  and  kneading 
force),  aiid-Tharshish  (prin- 
cipiating  principle)  of-the- 
Chuthites  (the  cut  off,  the 
barbarous,  the  schismatic) 
and-of-the-Z)odam£es  (the 
selected,  the  covenanters). 


5.  Through-those  were- 
moved-at-variance  t  h  e-pro- 
pending-centres-o  f  -  reunion 
of-the-social-bodies,  in-the- 
earths-their-o  w  n ;  every- 
principle-acting  after-the- 
particular-speech-h  i  s-o  w  n, 
toward  - 1  h  e-general-tribes, 
b  y-the-social-bodies-t  h  e  i  r- 
own. 


4.  E  t  - 1  e  s-productions- 
emanees  de-Ion  (la  ductilit6 
generative)    (furent)  :  ^Eli- 
shah  (la  force  delayante  et 
petrissante ) ,   e  t  -  Tharshiah 
(le  principe  mutuel,  in- 
tense)   des-Chutheens    (les 
reprouv£s,  les  barbares,  les 
Scythes),    et-des-Dodaneens 
(les  elus,   les  civilis&s,   les 
confed6res). 

5.  Par-ceux-la  furent- 
differencies    1  e  s-centres-de- 
volonte      des-organisations- 
social,  dans-les-terres-a-eux ; 
chaque-principe-agissant  se- 
lon- 1  a  -  langue-particuliere- 
sienne,    envers-les-tribes-en- 
general,     dans-les-organisa- 
tions-sociales-a-eux. 


isles,  understood  literally,  signifies  nothing.  These  are  not  in  fact 
isles  which  were  divided;  but  the  interests,  the  desires,  the  opinions, 
the  inclinations,  and  ideas  of  the  peoples  "who  formed  so  many  par- 
ticular regimes.  All  this  is  contained  in  the  word  "X,  used  here  in 
the  constructive  plural.  I  cannot  dwell  at  this  time  upon  one  of 
the  profoundest  mysteries  of  the  history  of  the  earth:  it  may  be 
that  I  shall  have  the  occasion  of  coming  back  to  it  in  another  work. 

ETN  ,  every-principle-acting I  have  said  enough  concern- 
ing this  word  so  that  I  can  dispense  with  a  long  digression.  The 
Hellenists  have  avoided  it  and  have  been  careful  not  to  show  the  dif- 
ference of  the  nominal  affix  i  which  is  connected  here,  with  the 
other  nominal  affixes  Q  and  CD ,  which  concern  the  Chuthites  and 
the  Dodanites  that  is  to  say,  the  cut  off  and  the  elect,  the  rejected 
and  the  chosen,  referred  to  in  the  preceding  verse. 


v.  6. 


*2,  Choush  ____     This  word  can  be  understood  as  formed 


278        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED* 


6.    W-benef.  Ham  Choush    ^fyi    DHV01    #13    OH 
w-Mitzeraim  w-Phout  w- 
Chenahan.  * 


7.    W-benel  Choush  Sge-    HMD)  if?nrn 
ba  wa-H'  a  w  i  1  a  h  w-Sgabe- 
thah  w-Rahemmah  w-Sgabe- 
thecha :  w-benei.  Rahemmah 
Sheba  w-Dedan. 


of  two  contracted  roots  rK*ni3,  the  elementary  force  of  the  igneous 
principle;  or  as  being  derived  from  the  single  root  riK  fire,  gov- 
erned by  the  assimilative  sign  2 .  In  either  case  its  signification 
differs  but  little. 

e^lSWI ,    and-Mitzeraim In    this    word    one    finds    the    root 

"IX  ,  which  develops  in  general,  all  ideas  of  compression  and  op- 
pression, particularized  and  made  more  intense  by  the  sign  of  ex- 
terior action  ». 

ttlEI,   and-Phut This   is   a   consequence   of  the   action  of 

Ham,  which  produces  elementary  combustion;  producing  also  suffoca- 
tion, that  is  to  say,  the  smoke  which  suffocates,  after  having  brought 
forth  victorious  forces  which  centralize.  The  word  !:*£,  formed  of 
two  contracted  roots  1'JTTIB ,  signifies  literally,  the  cassation  of  breath. 
It  is  understood  in  this  sense  by  the  Arabic  j,l»  . 

•ji?J31  ,   and-Chanahan. ...         I   have   explained   as   much   as   pos- 
sible, the  hieroglyphic  force  of  this  word  in  v.  18,  ch.  IX. 

v.  7.      NDD,  Seba The  root  2X,  which  develops  in  general, 

all  ideas  of  cause,  inclination,  determining  movement  and  fructifica- 
tion, has  served  in  a  great  many  dialects  to  designate  particularly, 
aqueous  element,  regarded  as  principle  or  vehicle  of  all  natural  pro- 
duction. In  the  above  word  this  root  is  ruled  by  the  sign  of  cir- 
cular movement  D. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


279 


6.  A  n  d  - 1  h  e-issued-off- 
spring  of-Ham   (what  is 
curved  and  Lot )    ( were)  : 
Chush  (igneous  power,  com- 
bustion ) ,    and-  Hitzeraim 
(subduing,  overcoming  pow- 
er,   compressing    bodies    to 
their  narrowest  bounds), 
anti-Phut  (stifledness)  and- 
Chanahan  (material  exis- 
tence). 

7.  An  d-t  h  e-issued-off- 
spring  of-C hush   ( igneous 
power)    (were)  :  Seba    (ra- 
dical moisture,  sap),  and- 
Hawilah  (striving  energy), 
a  n  d-Sabethah    ( determina- 
tive motion),  aud-Rahamah 
( thunder )    a  n  d-Sabethccha 
(determined  motion)  :  and- 
t  h  e-issued-offspring    of-Ra- 
hamah    (thunder)     (were)  : 
Rhcba  (restoring  rest),  and 
-Dedan   (selective  affinity). 


6.  E  t-1  e  s  -  productions 
emanees  de-Ham  (ce  qui  est 
inclin6  et  chaud)    (furent)  : 
Choush    (la  force  ignee  la 
combustion ) ,  et  -  Mitzcraim 
(les  forces  subjuguantes, 
victorieuses     opprimantes), 
et-Phout  (la  suffocation,  ce 
qui  asphyxie)    et-Chanahan 
(1'existence  physique). 

7.  E  t-1  e  s  -  productions- 
emanees  de  Choush   (la 
force  ignee)   (furent)  :  Seba 
(Thumide  radical,  la  seve, 
cause  de  la  sapidit6),  et- 
Hawilah  (la  travail  £nergi- 
que),  et-Sabethah  (la  cause 
determinante ) ,    et  -  Rah  a  m  - 
tnah  (le  tonnerre),  et-Sabe- 
thecha  (la  cause  determined, 
Teffect)  :  et-les-productions- 
6man£es  de-Rahammah    (le 
tonnerre)    (furent)  :  Shcba 
(le  retour  au  repos),  et-De- 
dan  (Paf finite  Elective). 


r^rim,  and-Hawilah....  I  have  already  had  occasion  to 
speak  of  this  word  in  v.  11,  ch.  II.  Only  it  must  be  considered  that 
the  energetic  effort  which  it  expresses  as  derivative  of  the  root  bin 
or  bvi,  being  influenced  by  the  generation  of  Ham.  bears  a  char- 
acter of  violence,  of  suffering,  that  it  did  not  have  then. 

nrQC* ,  and-Sabethah This  word  comes  from  the  two 

roots  n.TDD:  in  the  one,  resides  the  occasional,  determining  force, 
cause;  in  the  other,  the  sympathetic  reason,  the  determined  force, 
effect. 

nteST!  ,  and-Rahamah The  root  '21,  which  indicates  lit- 
erally every  rupture  of  order,  every  fraction,  being  generalized  by 


280        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


8.    W-fchoush  ialed  aeth-    ^nn  N1H 
Nimerod  houa  hehel  li-hel- 
6th  ghibor  ba-aretz, 


9.    Houa-   hateh  ghibor-     nliT 


ghibor    tzair    li-phenei  j  niJT 

IH6AH. 


the  final  sign    a,  expresses  in  a  manner  as  energetic  as  picturesque 
and  wise,  the  cause  and  effect  of  the  lightning. 

IWrODI,  and-Sabethecha  ----  The  root  DC,  which  as  we  have 
seen,  indicates  always,  an  occasional  movement,  is  linked  by  means 
of  the  constructive,  sympathetic  sign  n,  with  the  root  ^n,  which 
characterizes,  the  effect  which  follows  every  cause.  The  effect  here 
is  an  enchaining,  an  extreme  oppression,  an  infernal  pain,  a  damna- 
tion. I  pray  the  reader  to  reflect  a  moment  upon  this  signification. 

XDE7,  Sheba  ____  Now  as  we  know,  the  root  2V  is  always  the 
emblem  of  restitution,  and  of  return  to  an  original  state.  This  root, 
being  united  on  this  occasion  to  the  root  ND,  which  contains  every 
idea  of  passing  from  one  place  to  another,  and  being  presented  as 
an  effect  of  thun'der,  can  here  lead  to  the  idea  of  electric  repulsion. 

pTl,  and-Dedan  .....  One  can  in  the  same  manner,  consider 
this  word  as  an  emblem  of  electric  attraction  since  it  is  found  in  the 
root  "in,  which  characterizes  that  which  pleases,  attracts  and  mutual- 
ly suffices,  united  by  contraction  to  the  root  "p  ,  which  expresses 
every  chemical  parting,  every  judgment  brought  to  bear  upon  conten- 
tious things. 


v.  8.  117:  J,  Nimerod  ----  The  verb  Thtt  ,  of  which  this  is 
here  the  continued  facultative,  passive  movement,  signifies  literally 
to  give  over  to  one's  own  impulse,  to  shake  off  every  kind  of  yoke,  to 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


281 


8.  Anft-Chush   (igneous 
power)  begat  Nimerod  (self 
ruling  will,  arbitrary  sway, 
a  pregnant  cause  of  revolt, 
anarchy,  despotism,  and  of 
any  power  prone  to  follow 
its  own  violent  self  im- 
pulse), he-who  strove  for- 
being-the-high-lord  i  n-t  h  e- 
earth. 

9.  H  e-w  h  o-was  a-most- 
lordly-oppugner    before-the- 
face  of-lHOAH :  wherefore  it- 
was-said :  e  v  e  n-SLS-Nimerod 
(self   ruling   will),    a-most 
lordly-oppugner    before-the- 
face  of-lHOAH. 


8.  Et-Choush    (la  force 
ignee)  enfanta  Nimerod  (le 
principe  de  la  volont6  de- 
sordonee,  principe  de  rebell- 
ion, d'anarchie,  de  despotis- 
me,  de  t  o  u  t  e  puissance  n' 
obeissant  qu'il  sa  propre  im- 
pulsion) :  lui-qtii  fit-des-ef- 
forts-violens  pour-£tre  le- 
dominateur  (le  he>os,  1'hy- 
perbor6en)   sur-la-terre. 

9.  Lui-qui-fut  le  superbe- 
principe-de-tout-ce-qui-e  s  t  - 
adverse   (opposS  a  1'ordre) 
a-la-face    de-I  H  o  A  H  :    sur- 
quoi    ce-proverbe :    sembla- 
b\e-h~Nimerod    (le  principe 
d  e  1  a  volont6  arbitraire ) . 
ce-superbe   adversaire   a-la- 
face  de-lHOAH. 


behave  arbitrarily.  It  is  formed  from  the  root  Tl,  which  develops 
every  idea  of  movement,  proper  and  persevering,  good  or  evil,  ruled 
by  the  sign  of  exterior  action  T5 . 

I  am  not  considering  the  version  of  the  Hellenists,  wherein  this 
anarchical  principle  is  transformed  into  a  mighty  hunter,  -ylyat  KW- 
17761 ,  because  I  should  have  too  much  to  do,  as  I  have  said,  if 
obliged  to  mention  all  of  the  errors  which  are  woven  into  this 
chapter. 

v.  9.  The  kind  of  proverb  inserted  in  this  verse  could  very 
well  be  a  marginal  note  passed  into  the  text. 

v.  10.  b22  Babel The  root  ^2  which  expresses  an  ex- 
traordinary dilation,  a  swelling,  is  taken  here  in  the  bad  sense,  and 
depicts  the  effect  of  vanity.  The  resemblance  of  this  name  to  that 
of  Babylon,  appears  to  excuse  here,  the  version  of  the  Hellenists  who 
have  placed  in  this  city  the  origin  of  the  empire  of  their  pretended 
giant:  but  it  would  be  sufficient  to  read  attentively  this  verse  alone, 
to  see  that  the  word  bDD  is  not  applicable  to  a  city,  even  if  the 
whole  development  of  the  chapter  did  not  compel  giving  it  another 
sense. 


282         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


10.  Wa-thehi.  r  e  4  s  h  i  t  h     ^   1fg!?p£    IWlO 
mamelacheth-6   Babel    w' 
Are6h  w'Adhad,  w'Chalneh 
b'aretz  Shinhar, 


11.  Min-ha-aretz  ha-hiwa 
iatzA.  Asshour  wa-iben  eeth- 
Ninweh  w'seth-rehoboth  hir 
wseth-Chalah. 


"pXl,  and-Areth  ----  I  have  spoken  more  than  once  of  the 
root  "p  or  pi,  whose  effect  is  to  depict  the  relaxation,  the  dissolu- 
tion of  things,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively. 

"1DKT  ,  and-A6had  ......     Two  contracted  roots  compose  this  word: 

"O-^X.  They  depict  energetically  that  sort  of  sentiment  the  result 
of  which  is,  that  each  is  excepted  from  the  general  law,  flees  from 
it,  acts  for  his  own  part.  The  word  12S,  signifies  properly  a 
particle,  a  spark. 

rubDT,  and-Chalneh  ----  That  is  to  say,  according  to  the 
hieroglyphic  sense:  the  concentration  of  the  whole  in  the  individual 
self.  This  is  the  root  ^O  all,  to  which  is  joined  the  emphatic, 
nominal  affix  Hi. 

1WW,  Shinar  ----  We  already  know  that  the  root  ]V  con- 

tains every  idea  of  mutation,  variation  and  change;  now,  the  root 
"U>,  which  is  joined  to  it,  indicates  at  the  same  time,  both  the 
vehemence  which  excites,  and  the  city  in  which  this  change  takes 
place.  It  was  impossible  to  create  a  happier  word  for  depicting  a 
civil  revolution. 


v.  11.  ThuN,  Asshour.  .  .  .  Causing  order  to  come  out  from 
the  heart  of  disorder,  and  the  principle  of  legitimate  government 
from  the  midst  of  revolutionary  anarchy,  is  a  trait  of  genius  which 
astonishes,  even  after  all  that  has  been  seen.  I  dispense  with  in- 
viting the  reader  to  reflect;  he  will  be  inclined  enough  to  reflection 
both  by  the  memory  of  the  past  and  by  the  image  of  the  present. 
Still  if  glancing  in  turn  upon  my  version  and  upon  that  of  the  Hel- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


283 


10.  A  n  d-such-was    the- 
r  i  s  e    o  f-the-kingly-power- 
his  own,  Babel  (empty 
pride),    amd-Arech     (slack- 
ness),  a.ud-Achad    (selfish* 
ness),    a.  n  d-Chaleneh     (all 
engrossing    desire)     in-the- 
earth  of-Shinhar    (civil  re- 
volution ) . 

11.  From-that-earth,  it- 
self, issued  Asshour  (right 
and  lawful  sway,  source  of 
happiness    and    grandeur) 
which-founded  the  selfsame- 
ness  of-Ninweh   (the  grow- 
ing strong,  youth  breeding 
out )     and-w  h  a  t-relates-to- 
p  u  b  1  i  c-establishments  at- 
home,   a  n  d-what-relates-to- 
Chalah   (the  growing  wise, 
old  men  ruling  within). 


10.  Et-telle-fut  1'origine 
du  regne-sien,  Babel  (la 
vanite),  et-Arech  (la  moll- 
esse),  et-Achad  (1'isolement, 
Tegoisme),  et-Chaleneh  (P 
ambition,  Penvahissement), 
dans-la- terre  de-Shinhar  (la 
revolution  civile. 


11.  H  o  r  s-de-cette-terre 
elle-m  e  m  e,  sortit-Asshour 
(le  principe  harmonique,  le 
principe  6clair6  du  gouver- 
nement,  Pordre,  le  bonheur, 
resultant  d  e  Pobservation 
des  lois),  lequel-Stablit  ce- 
qm-concerue-Ninweh  (1'ac- 
croissement  exterieur,  l'6du- 
cation  de-la  jeunesse)  et-ce- 
q  ui-concerne-les-institutions 
de-la-c  i  t  6,  et-ce-qui-concer- 
ne-Chalah  (le  perfectione- 
ment  int^rieur,  le  rassem- 
blement  des  vieillards,  le 
s£nat). 


lenists,  he  is  startled  at  the  depths  into  which  the  hierographic 
writer  draws  him,  he  will  clearly  feel  why  the  Essenes,  learned  in 
these  mysteries,  have  taken  such  pains  to  conceal  them. 

n*H>>J"nX ,  the-self  sameness  of  Ninweh ....  Two  contracted 
roots  compose  this  word.  The  first,  yi3,  presents  in  general  the 
idea  of  extension,  enlargement,  propagation:  }*2  signifies  properly 
a  son.  The  second,  ni3,  designates  an  habitation,  a  colonization. 

Moses  who  has  skilfully  profited  by  the  name  of  Babel,  taken  in 
a  bad  sense,  to  make  the  principle  of  insubordination  and  of  anarchy 
go  forth,  now  avails  himself  of  the  name  of  Ninweh,  to  establish  the 
principle  of  order  and  of  legitimate  government.  It  is  thus,  that  la 
the  course  of  this  chapter,  certain  names  of  peoples  and  of  cities,  are 


284         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

12.  W'aeth-Ressen  bein 
Ninweh  w-bein  Chalah  hiwa 
ha-Whir  ha-ghedolah. 


13.     W-Mitzeraim    ialad     - 

£^£ 

Naphethuhim. 


taken  in  the  same  spirit  and  used  according  to  their  hieroglyphic 
expressions.  In  the  'primitive  tongues,  the  rarity  of  words  and  the 
impossibility  of  drawing  from  neighbouring  idioms,  forced,  as  I  have 
already  stated,  attaching  to  them  a  great  number  of  significations. 

nbj'nxi  ,  and-what-relates-to-Chalah  ____  The  root  b2  which  re- 
calls all  ideas  of  complement  and  integrity,  expresses  in  the  radical 
verb  blD,  the  action  of  seizing,  of  holding  a  thing  together,  of  bring- 
ing it  to  perfection.  The  root  nX,  which  depicts  a  state  of  equi- 
librium and  equality,  being  joined  to  it  by  contraction,  forms  with 
it  the  word  nb3,  which  signifies  literally,  an  ancient,  an  old  man, 
that  is  to  say,  a  man  whom  age  and  experience  have  led  to  perfection. 
Thence,  by  extension,  the  idea  of  a  senate,  of  an  assembly  of  old  men, 
of  a  wise  and  conservative  institution. 

v.  12.  pVnX',  and-what-relates-to-Ressen  ----  It  is  difficult  to 
say  whether  the  word  ',C1  is  the  real  name  of  a  city  as  S22 
and  rW2,  or  not;  but,  in  any  case,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  it  may 
be  used  here  in  its  grammatical  acceptation,  with  admirable  preci- 
sion. 


v.   13.  C^-il-nX,   the-existence-of-the-Ludites  ____  This   root  TX 

indicating  every  emanation,  which,  governed  by  the  sign  of  directive 
movement  'r>  ,  forms  the  word  Tib,  in  general,  an  emanation,  a  pro- 
pagation: in  particular,  an  emanated  individual,  an  infant.  Thence, 
the  compound  radical  verb  Tib",  to  generate,  to  produce,  to  bring 
forth,  etc. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


285 


12.  And-what-relates-to  - 
Ressen  (the  state's  holding 
reins )  between- Ninweh 
(youth  breeding  out),  and- 
Chalah  (old  men  ruling 
in)  :  and-it-was  a-civil-safe- 
guard  most-great. 


13.  A  n  d-Jlf  itzeraim 
(overcoming  power)  begat 
the-selfsameness  of-the-Lw- 
dites  ( pregnancies ) ,  a  n  d- 
t  h  a  t  -  o  f-t  h  e-Whonam  ites 
(material  heaviness),  and- 
tha.t-vf-the-Lehabites  (blaz- 
ing exhalations),  and-that- 
of-t  h  c-Naphethuhites  (hol- 
lowed caverns). 


12.  Et-c  e-q  u  i-concerne- 
Ressen   (les  renes  du  go- 
vernment) e  n  t  r  e  -  Ninweh 
(Paccroissement    exterieur, 
la  colonisation),  et-Chalah 
(le  perfectionnement  inter- 
ieur,  le  senat)  :  et-elle-6tait 
(cette  institution  centrale) 
une-sauve-garde-civile   tres- 
grande. 

13.  Et-Mitzeraim     (les 
forces    subjuguantes)    pro- 
duisit    1'existence    des-Lu- 
deens  (les  propagations),  et- 
celle-des- Whonameens   (les 
appesantissements      mat6r- 
iels)     et-celle-des-Lehabeens 

(les  exhalaisons  enflam- 
m6es ) ,  et-celle-des-Naphet- 
huheens  (les  cavernosit6s). 


,  and-that-of-the  Whonamites This  is  the  root  ]W 

of  which  I  have  said  enough,  which  is  found  generalized  by  the  final 
collective  sign  D. 

B"3nbTiX!,  and-that-of-the  Lehabites The  word  2nb  comes 

from  the  root  2H  or  21H  which,  designating  in  general,  every  kind 
of  uprising,  is  united  to  the  sign  of  directive  movement  V,  to  depict 
the  effect  of  flame. 

E-nnwnKl,  and-that-of-the-Naphethuhites The  verb  HinD 

which  signifies  to  crack,  to  split,  to  swell  up,  etc.,  is  used  here  in  the 
continued  facultative,  passive  movement,  plural. 


v.   14.    zrcineTM,  and-that-of-the-Patherussites The  root 

C"i,  which  contains  all  ideas  of  break,  rupture,  ruin,  reduction  into 
impalpable  parts,  is  presented  in  this  instance,  preceded  by  the  root 
nD  which  has  been  used  in  the  preceding  word. 

and-that-of-the-Chasseluthites The    verb    nibD 


286        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


14.    W'seth-Phatherussim     D*ff?p3"rttO 
w'aeth  Chasseluhim  a  s  h  e  r 
iatzaou  mi-sham   Phelishet- 
him  w'seth-Chaphethorim. 


15.  W-Chenahan  lalad 
aeth-Tzidon  bechor-6  w'aeth- 
Heth. 


f'TV~n#  "I1?; 


16.    w'aeth  -  h  a-  jeboussi  - 

w'aeth-ha-^Emori  w'seth  -  ha- 
Ghirashl. 


noi^rrnio 


expresses  the  action  of  absolving  sins.  It  is  used  as  finished  faculta- 
tive, plural,  with  the  assimilative  article  2. 

DNnrbc,  the-Phelishethites  ----  The  verb  B*,bc  expresses  the 
action  of  dispersing,  of  throwing  to  the  winds,  and  also  of  wandering. 
It  has  the  emphatic  article  n  changed  to  n  to  form  the  plural  fa- 
cultative. 

D-VID3TWO,  and-the-Chaphethorites  ____  The  root  in  which 
develops  all  ideas  of  tour,  circuit,  version,  conversion,  united  to  the 
sign  C,  forms  the  derivative  verb  "line,  which  signifies  literally,  to 
turn  one  tongue  into  another,  to  translate,  to  make  a  version;  and 
figuratively,  to  change  the  life,  to  be  converted,  to  pass  from  one 
belief  to  another,  etc. 


v.  15.  p!TOX,  the-selfsameness-of-Tzidon  ----  One  finds  the 
root  of  this  word  in  12,  which  contains  the  idea  of  that  which 
shows  itself  opposed,  as  adversary,  enemy;  that  which  uses  perfidious, 
insidious  means  to  surprise,  to  deceive,  to  seduce,  etc.  The  analogous 
word  VS,  develops  every  opposition  which  proceeds  from  force;  as 
V¥  ,  every  opposition  which  comes  from  ruse.  The  first  depicts  war. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


28' 


14.  And-that-of-the-Pa*- 
lierussites  (broken  out  in 
crowds),  and  -  that  -  of  -  the- 
CJiasseluthites  (tried  for 
atonement)  :  from-  which- 
issued-forth  the-Phelishethi- 
tes  (slighted),  and-the- 
Chaphethorites  ( converts ) . 


15.  Aiid-Chanahan  (ma- 
terial  existence)    generated 
the-selfsameness    o  f-Tzidon 
(ensnaring  foe)  :  first-born- 
his  -  o  w  n,   and-that-of-J3e£/i 
(dispirited  amazement). 

16.  And-t  h  a  t-of-the-Je- 
bussites  (inward  crushing), 
a  n  d-that-of-t  h  e  -  JEmorites 
(outward    wringing),    and- 
t  h  a  t-o  f  - 1  h  e    Girgashites 
(chewing  and  chewing  over 
and  over). 


14.  Et-celle-d  e  s    Pathe- 
russeens    (les  fractures  in- 
finies ) ,     et-celle-des-Chasse- 
lutheens    (les  epreuves  ex- 
piatoires)  :  de-qui  sortirent 
de-la-meme,  les-  Phelishet- 
heens   (les  egar£s,  les  infi- 
deles ) ,    e  t-les-Chaphethore- 
ens  (les  convertis,  les  fide- 
les). 

15.  Et-Chanahan  (!' ^exis- 
tence physique)  produisit  T 
existence-de-T^tdon    ( 1'  insi- 
dieux  adversaire) ;  premier- 
ne-sien,  et-celle-de-^e^   (P 
abattement,  la  fatigue). 

16.  Et-celle-d  e  s-Jebous- 
seens    (les  refoulemens   in- 
terieurs),    et-celle-des-J^mo- 
reens  (les  exprimations  ex- 
t^rieures),    et-celle-des-Gtr- 
gashcens   (les  remachemens 


conquests,   the  glory  of  arms;    the  other,  hunting,  fishing,  the  gain 
and   industry  of  commerce. 

nrrn*O  ,  and-that-of-Heth  ----  This  is  the  reaction  of  a  use- 
less effort,  it  is  elementary  existence  sharply  driven  back  upon 
itself:  such  is  the  expression  of  the  root  PH. 


v.    16.        "OWn-nXl,    and-that-of-theJebussites  ----  The    com- 

pound radical  verb  D'12"1,  to  tread  upon,  to  crush  with  the  foot,  comes 
from  the  root  DID,  which  characterizes  that  sort  of  pressure  by 
means  of  which  one  treads  upon  and  crushes  a  thing  to  extract  liquid 
and  radical  moisture. 

•"IttK.vnKl,  and-that-of-the-&morites  ----        I  have  given  the  ety- 
mology of  this  verb  TiEK    several  times. 

,  and-that-of-the-Girgashites  ____  The  two  distinct  roots 


288         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


17.   w'seth-ha-H  i  w  i  w'   -n$n  'pny»7"n&n 

seth  -  ha  -  Harki    w'aeth  -  ha  • 
Sfilnt 


18.    W'.-eth-ha-Arwadi  w'    -fltf! 


zou  mishephehoth  ha  -  Che- 
nahani. 


of  which  this  word  is  composed,  are  "D,  which  designates  all  gira- 
tory  movement  executed  upon  itself,  all  chewing,  all  continued  action; 
and  ID),  which  expresses  the  effect  of  things  which  are  brought  to- 
gether, which  touch,  which  contract;  so  that  the  meaning  attached 
to  the  word'  2?3"!2,  appears  to  be  a  sort  of  chewing  over  and  over, 
of  doing  over  again,  of  rumination,  of  continued  contractile  labour. 

v.  17.    Tin  nxi,  and-that-of-the-Hiwites The  absolute  verb 

nin  ,  receiving  the  sign  of  potential  manifestation  in  place  of  the 
convertible  sign,  becomes  the  symbol  of  universal  life  riVl:  but  if 
the  first  character  of  this  important  word  degenerates,  and  is  changed 
into  that  of  elementary  existence,  it  expresses  in  D*n  only  natural, 
animal,  bestial  life:  if  it  degenerated  again  still  further,  and  if  it 
received  the  sign  of  material  sense,  it  would  finally  become  the  sym- 
bol of  absolute  material  life  in  n"2.  The  word  referred  to  in  this 
note  is  a  plural  facultative  of  the  verb  rvn,  to  live. 

"pyrrrw,  and-that-of-the  Warkites The  word  "piy  which 

signifies  literally,  the  nerves,  expresses  figuratively,  the  force  and 
energy  which  result  therefrom. 

^CrrnXl,  and-that-of-the-Sinites The  root    }B,  which,  in 

a  restri«ted  sense  is  limited  to  characterizing  the  colour  red,  develops, 
figuratively,  every  idea  of  hateful  passion,  animadversion,  rage,  com- 
bat, etc.  It  is  well  known  what  horror  the  Egyptians  had  for  the 
colour  red.  * 

T.    18.       ""1'ixrrnxi ,    and-ttiat-of-the-Awardites The    com- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


289 


17.     And  that-of-t  h  e-Hi-  17.     Et-cel\e-des-Hiiceens 

wites   (animal    lives),  and-  (les  vies  animales),  et-cel- 

that-of-the-Wharkites   (bru-  \e-des-Wharkeens  (les  pass- 

tish   appetites),   and -that-  ions  brutales),  et-celle-des- 

of-tlie-Sinites   (hateful    and  Sineens  (les  passions  hain- 


bloody  disposition). 

18.  And-that-of-t  h  e-Ar- 
wadites  (plundering  de- 
sire), and  that-of-the-Tzewa- 
rites  (hankering  for  pow- 
er ) ,  and-that-of -the-#  a  m  - 
athites  (most  violent  crav- 
ing) :  and-after-ward  were- 
scattered  the-tribes  of-the- 
Chanahanites  (material  ex- 
isting). 


euses). 

18.  Et-c  e  1 1  e-des-Arica- 
deens  (les  ardeurs  du  bu- 
tin) ,  et-c  ell  e-des-  Tzema- 
reens  (la  soif  du  pouvoir) 
et-c  e  1 1  e-d  e  s-Hamatheens 
(les  desirs  insatiables)  :  et- 
e  n  s  u  i  t  e  f  urent-disperse"es 
les-tribus  des-Chenahaneens 
(les  existences  physiques). 


pound  T.-.X  ,  comes  from  the  two  contracted  roots  T)X")X  by  the  first, 
IX,  become  mN,  is  understood,  an  ardent  desire  to  draw,  to  acquire, 
to  gather;  by  the  second,  11X,  things  in  general,  the  riches  which 
one  desires  to  possess. 

''IttXrrnXI,  and-that-of-the-Tzemarites The  compound  1?:il 

comes  equally  from  the  two  contracted  roots  "}?2-C2 :  of  which 
the  one,  CS,  designates  literally  thirst;  and  the  other,  173,  is  well 
known  to  us  as  containing  all  ideas  of  extension  and  of  domination. 

TlEnrrrXT,  and-that-of '-the-Hamathites This  is  the  root  DH 

taken  in  the  sense  of  a  covetous  ardour,  unceasingly  excited, 
whose  expression  is  still  increased  by  the  addition  of  the  emphatic 
article  n  changed  to  n  to  form  the  plural. 

T.  19.  HDX2,  by-dint-of This  is  the  root  ")X  invested  with 

the  emphatic  article  n,  and  ruled  by  the  mediative  article  2. 

PJTX  inward-winging The  duplication  of  the  character 

T  ,  and  the  addition  of  the  emphatic  article  in  the  root  ^3,  increases 
considerably  its  energy.  It  is  a  sort  of  inward  trituration  ex- 
ercised upon  itself. 

WlJJ ,  unto-stiffnest I  have  spoken  of  the  root  U1  in  T. 

18,  ch.  II. 


290         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


19.  Wa-lhi.  gheboul  ha-  rOJO  TTVP 
Chenahani  mi-Tzidon  b' 
achah  gherarah  !  had-hazah  ! 
h'achah  sedomah!  wa-ham- 
orah!  w'admah!  w'tzablm 
had-lashah. 


20.     JSlleh  benel-Ham  1'     DfihSK'p'?  Df"T"*42 
mishephehoth-am    li  -  lesho  - 
noth-am    b'aretz-oth-am    b' 
gdie-hem. 


21.     W-le-Shem   1  u  1 1  a  d     •»^5"l?3  »3    KVTW  "V?» 
gam-hona  abl  chol-benei-he- 
ber  ahl  Japheth  ha-gad61. 


,  hidden-wiles....  Two  contracted  roots  compose  the  word 
here  referred  to.  By  the  first,  "flD,  is  understood,  a  thing 
closed  carefully,  melted  one  in  the  other;  thence,  the  French  word 
souder:  by  the  second,  211  ,  a  surd,  silent  thing;  thence,  dumb. 


and-overt  earing  ----  The  verb  "*,£X  expresses  the  ac- 
tion of  dominating  with  force,  of  oppressing.  This  is  the  verb 
IttX,  to  declare  his  will,  to  manifest  his  power,  to  speak,  whose 
initial  character  K  is  changed  into  that  of  material  sense  y. 


I,  and-unmercifulness  ----  It  is  necessary  to  guard  against 
confusing  this  word  with  that  which  designates  the  homogene- 
ous element:  this  one  depends  upon  the  root  Bin,  of  which  I  have 
spoken  and  which  characterizes  that  which  is  mute,  deaf,  insensible 
as  the  tomb,  inexorable,  etc. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


291 


19.  And-there-was  t he- 
utmost-bounds  of-the-Chena~ 
hanites   (material  existing) 
thTough-Tzidon    (ensnaring 
foe)   by-dint-of  inward- 
wringing  unto-stiffness :  by- 
dint-of    hidden-wiles    a  n  d- 
overbearing  and-  unmerci- 
f  ulness,    a  n  d-w  a  r-waging, 
unto-the-swallowing-up    (of 
riches). 

20.  These-are  the-issued- 
offspring-of-JIam,  after-the- 
tribes-their-o  w  n,    after-the- 
particular-speeches-of-them, 
in-the-lands-of-them ;  in-the- 
organic-bodies-their-own. 

21.  An  d-through-$/iew, 
d  i  d-it-become  also,  he-was 
t  h  e-father  of-all-of  fspring- 
ultramundane,   t  h  e-brother 
of-Japheth,  the-great. 


19.  Et-telle-f  u  t-1'exten- 
sion-t  o  t  a  1  e    des-Chenaha- 
neens  (les  existences  physi- 
ques)  par-le-m  o  y  e  n-de  la- 
ruse,  a-force-de  contraction- 
intestine,     j  u  s  q  u'a-1'affer- 
missement :  a-f  ore  e-de  de- 
tours-obscurs  et-de-tyrannie 
et-d'insensibilit6,  et-de-guer- 
res,  j  u  s  q  u  9  a-Pengloutisse- 
ment  (des  richesses). 

20.  Tels-sont  les-enfans 
de-J?  a  m,   selon-les-tribus-a- 
eux,  selon-les-langues-a-eux, 
dans-les-terres-a-eux,    dans- 
1  e  s-organisations-universel- 
les-a-eux. 

21.  Et-envers-/8ffeew,    il- 
fut-engendr6  aussi,  lui-qui- 
fut  le-pere-de-toutes-les-pro- 
ductions-ultra-terrestres,  le- 
frere  de-Japheth,  le-grand. 


and-war-waging 

by    all    ideas    of    rules    given 
marching  en  corps. 


The  root   3¥   is  affected   in  general, 
to    a    troop,    an    army,    a    multitude 


unto-the-swallowing-up-of-riches The  word  referred 

to  here  is  remarkable  in  its  hieroglyphic  form.  Of  the  two 
roots  from  which  it  comes,  the  one  yi1?,  designates  properly  a  yawn- 
ing  jaw;  the  other  yVB ,  cement,  that  is  to  say,  gold  and  silver  con- 
sidered as  finance,  as  political  cement  of  states. 


v.  20  and  21.       All  these  terms  have  been  explained. 


T.  22. 


J.  Wheilan...         This  is  the  word 


of  which  I 


292        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
22.     Bene!    Shem    Whel-    -igog'^o  *W>0  0*7*17  D# 


lam  w'Asshour  w'A  r  p  h  a-  .-^  -,«.<-,•» 

cheshad  w'Loud  wa-Aram.  •  D™3  ""! 


23.  W-benei-Aram  Houtz 
w'  Houl  w-G  h  e  t  h  e  r  wa- 
Mash. 


have  often  spoken,  in  which  the  convertible  sign  is  replaced  by 
that  of  potential  manifestation  and  of  eternity  of  time. 

TI27X ,  Asshour This  word  which  is  already  found  in  v. 

11.  of  this  chapter,  receives  in  this  one  a  new  force,  by  the  in- 
fluence of  the  generation  of  Shem  to  which  Moses  made  him  be- 
long. It  comes  from  the  root  YlX,  light,  which  being  joined  to  the 
sign  of  relative  movement  E? ,  forms  the  word  "112? ,  containing  every 
idea  of  luminous  direction,  of  pure  conduct,  of  order,  of  harmony, 
of  enlightened  government;  this  word  which  takes  again  the  sign  of 
stability  and  power  J<,  forms  the  one  of  which  we  are  speaking 
IIE?^  ;  by  which  should  be  understood  prosperity,  welfare,  glory, 
blessing,  and  that  which  flows  from  immutable  order  and  harmony. 

"NWfpXl,  and  Arpha-dheshad. . . .  The  two  words  that  I  sep- 
arate here,  are  joined  in  the  original;  but  this  conjunction  appears 
to  have  been  the  consequence  of  a  mistake  of  a  copyist  anterior  to 
Esdras.  The  first  word,  rpK,  comes  from  the  root  rp,  which  de- 
velops all  ideas  of  mediative,  remedial,  restorative,  curative  cause. 
United  to  the  sign  of  stability  and  power  {•»*,  it  has  formed  that 
name,  famous  in  all  the  ancient  mythologies,  written  'Op<£«/j  by  the 
Greeks,  and  by  us,  Orpheus.  The  second  word,  "iE2,  nearly  as 
famous,  since  it  was  the  favourite  epithet  of  the  Chaldeans,  is  derived 
from  the  root  *ntf.  applied  to  providential  power,  to  productive  nat- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


293 


22.  The-issued-offspring 
of-Shem  (that  which  is  up- 
right and  bright)    (were)  : 
Wheilam  (everlasting  time, 
eternity ) ,  smd-Asshur  ( right 
and  lawful  sway,  immutable 
order,   holiness,   felicity), 
find-Arpha-cheshad  ( restorer 
of  providential   nature), 
and-Lwd   (generative  pow- 
er), and-Araw    (universal 
elementizing). 

23.  A  n  d-the-issued-of  f- 
spring  of- Aram    (universal 
elementizing)       (were)  : 
W  hutz     ( substantiation ) , 
smd-Hul  (virtual  striving), 
and-Gether  (plenteous  press- 
ing), and-Mash   (harvest, 
reaped  fruits). 


22.  Les-productions-e"m- 
anees  de-Shem    (ce  qui  est 
Sieve"  et  brillant)    (furent) : 
Wheilam   (la  dur6e  infinie, 
F6ternit6),  et-Asshour   (le 
pouvoir    l£gal,    1'ordre    im- 
muable,  Pharmonie,  la  b4at- 
itude)  et-Arpha-cheshad  (le 
principe  mediateur    d e    la 
nature    providentielle),    et- 
Loud,  (la  propagation),  et- 
Aram  (l'616mentisation  uni- 
verselle). 

23.  E  t-1  e  s-productions- 
e"manees  d'Araw    (Tel^men- 
tisation     universelle)      (fu- 
rent) :  Whoutz  (la  substan- 
tiation), et-Houl  (le  travail  . 
virtuel),  et-Gether  (la  pres- 
sion   abondante),  el-Mash 

(la  rScolte  des  fruits,  la 
moisson). 


ure.  Thence,  the  name,  given  to  GOD  Himself,  ""IE,  Providence. 
In  this  instance  this  root  IE,  is  inflected  by  the  assimilative  article 

"ilbl ,  anrl~Lud .  This  word  was  explained  in  v.  13  of  this 

chapter. 

C11O ,  and-Aram This  is  the  elementary  root  IK  of  which 

I  have  frequently  spoken,  which  is  universalized  by  the  final  col- 
lective sign  O . 

v.  23.  yiy  Whutz Here  is  the  famous  root  yy ,  substance, 

verbalized  by  the  convertible  sign  1. 

Vw,  and-Houl It  is  useless  to  repeat  all  that  I  have  said 

upon  the  subject  of  this  root,  whose  purpose  is  to  depict  the  effort 
of  Nature  in  travail. 

VOI,  and-Oether This  hieroglyphic  word  comes  from  two 

contracted  roots:  the  first  TO,  designates  literally  pressure;  the  sec- 
ond, Ti.  the  abundance  which  results. 


294        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


24.  W'A  r  p  h  a  dheshad 
ialad  teth-  Shallah  w-She- 
lah  ialad  aeth-Heber. 


25.  W-1'Heber  lull  ad 
shenei  banim  shem  ha-sehad 
Pheleg  6hi  b'iamaJ-6  niphe- 
legah  ha-aretz  w-shem  ahl- 
6  Jaktan. 


That  is  to  say,  the  harvest  of  fruits, 
necessary  result  of  corporeity,  of  substantiation,  of  virtual  effort,  and 
of  the  abundance  brought  about  by  pressure. 

v.  24.  r^ETnX,  that-of-Shelah That  is  to  say,  the 

luminous  flash,  the  ray;  inspiration,  divine  grace:  for  this  word, 
chosen  with  great  art  by  the  hierographic  writer,  rests  upon  the  two 
contracted  roots  n1?'1?^,  the  first  of  which  bft,  is  particularly  as- 
signed to  the  idea  of  a  line  drawn  from  one  place  to  another,  a  stroke; 
and  the  second  r6,  designates  inherent  power,  vigour,  projecting 
force. 

•GJTnX,  that-of-Wheber The  word  123?,  whose  literal  ac- 
ceptation is,  that  which  passes  further,  which  is  beyond,  receives 
from  the  generation  of  Shem  a  figurative  sense,  relative  to  the 
intellectual  world,  toward  which  the  effort  of  this  generation  is 
carried. 

v.  25.  abo,  Pheleg....  In  v.  4.  ch.  VI.  I  have  stated  that  the 
root  Sc,  developed  invariably,  the  idea  of  a  thing  set  apart, 
distinguished,  raised  above  the  others.  This  root,  whose  effort  is 
again  increased  by  the  addition  of  the  root  ab,  applied  to  the 
measure  of  extent,  expresses  here  a  moral  distinction,  a  separation, 
a  classification  among  beings  of  a  different  nature. 

Although  I  have  avoided  making  observations  upon  this  chapter, 
wishing  to  leave  to  the  sagacity  of  the  reader  the  task  of  drawing 
from  the  magnificent  tableau  which  it  presents,  inductions  and  con- 
sequences, I  cannot  however  refrain  from  remarking,  as  a  thing 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


295 


24.  And-Arpfta  -  chcshad 
( providential  restoring 
cause)  begot  the-self same- 
ness of-Shelah  (actual 
emission,  efficacious 
grace)  :  B,ud-Shelah  (divine, 
efficacious  emission)  begat 
that-of-W/iefcer  (ultra-mun- 
dane). 


25.  And-toward-W/te&er 
,( ultra-mundane)  was-it-be- 
gotten  two-offspring :  the- 
name  of-one  was-P  h  e  I  e  g 
(selection,  separation),  for 
by-the-days-his-own  was-se- 
parated  (divided  in  selected 
speeches)  the-earth:  and- 
the-name  of-the-brother-his- 
own  was-J  ah  tan  ( lessen- 
ing) (of  evil). 


24.  E  t  -  Arpha  -  cheshad 
(le  principe  m6diateur  pro- 
videntiel)    produisit-l'exist- 
ence-d  e-Shelah     (remission 
active,  la  grace  divine,  effi- 
cace)  :  et-S helah  ( 1'emis- 
sion,  la  grace  divine)    pro- 
duisit  celle-de-TWie&er    (  c  e 
qui   est  ultra-terrestre,   au- 
del&  de  ce  monde). 

25.  Et-envers-  W  heber 
(ce  qui  est  ultra-terrestre) 
il-fut-engendre    deux    en- 
fans  :  le-nom  de-1'un-e  t  a  i  t 
Pheleg     (1'election,     la-dia- 
lection),   a-cause  que-dans- 
les-jours-siens   f  u  t-dialecti- 
see    (divisSe   en    dialectes) 
le-terre:  et-le-nom  du-frere- 
sien   fut-Jaktan    (I'att^nua- 
tion)    (du  mal). 


which  merits  highest  attention,  that  there  exist  in  the  three  dif- 
ferent generations  set  forth  by  Moses,  three  causes  of  division 
which  are  inherent  in  them,  and  which  issue  from  three  different 
principles.  In  the  generation  of  Japheth,  which  symbolizes  the  ex- 
tent, the  cause  of  division  is  the  generative  principle;  in  that  of 
Ham,  which  represents  that  which  is  curved  and  hot,  this  cause  ia 
thunder,  for  the  purely  physical  part,  and  expiatory  experiences,  for 
the  moral  part;  in  that  of  Shem,  finally,  which  is  upright  and 
bright,  this  cause  is  the  providential  mediative  principle  itself,  which 
generating  divine  grace,  produces  that  which  is  ultra-terrestrial  and 
gives  place  to  separation  and  to  the  attenuation  of  evil. 

pp",  Jaktan The  word   pp,  which   signifies   that  which 

is  small,  thin,'  slight,  has  received  in  this  instance  the  initial  ad- 
junction * ,  which  gives  it  a  verbal  force.  It  is,  moreover,  modified 
favourably  by  the  influence  of  the  generation  of  Shem. 


296         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

26.     W'Jaktan  ialad  aeth-     -fi^  TTJO'jg'fi^  "ft*  [Dpi 


Jarah. 


27.     W'seth  •  Haddram  w'     - 
aelh-Aouzal  w'seth-Dikelah. 


28.     W'aeth-Hobal  w'seth-     -j 
Abi-mael  w'aeth-Sheba.  ,     _. 


v.  26.  YTtobXTlX,  the-selfsameness-of-AImodad One  must 

distinguish  here  two  united  words.  By  the  first,  bs,  should  be  un- 
derstood a  divine  force;  by  the  second,  YTto,  an  action  by  means  of 
which  every  thing  attains  its  measure  and  fills  it. 

ff~?V  HX1 ,  and-that-of-Shaleph The  w  ord  fpv  recalls  that 

of  PlbtZ?  referred  to  in  v.  24  of  this  chapter.  It  is  the  reaction  of 
the  action  expressed  by  this  one;  so  that  in  admitting  that  n^E? 
characterizes  a  virtual  emission,  as  that  of  light  or  grace,  for  ex- 
ample, fp'O  will  be  its  concomitant  reflective  emission:  for  the 
root  ^b  added  to  that  of  b>E?,  the  luminous  flash,  is  applied  to  its 
reflection  or  to  its  return  unto  itself. 

Dltt'lSrrnKT,  and-that-of-Hotzar-moth The  two  united  words 

which  I  separate  here  are  worthy  of  remark.  The  first  1j»n  desig- 
nates a  scission  operated  upon  a  thing,  and  by  means  of  which  that 
thing  is  found  constituting  several  distinct  parts.  It  is  composed 
of  the  root  yn,  applied  to  every  idea  of  cutting,  of  division,  of 
scission,  joined  by  contraction  to  the  root  "IS,. applied  on  the  contrary, 
to  every  idea  of  pressure,  of  compaction,  of  formation.  The  second 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


297 


26.  Aud-Jaktan  (h 
ing)  begat  the-selfsameness- 
of-Almodad    (divine  proba- 
tory  mensuration )  and-that- 
of-Shaleph   (reflected  emis- 
sion )   and-that-of-#  otzar- 
moth     (scission    performed 
by   death);   and-that-of- 
larah    (brotherly  sparkling 
show;  the  moon). 

27.  And-t  h  a  t-of   Hado- 
ram    (universal   bright- 
ness ) ,    and-that-of-A  w  z  a  I 
(godlike  purified  fire),  and- 
t  h  a  t-o  f-Dikclah     ( ethereal 
sounding  rarefaction). 

28.  And-that-o  t-Whobal 
infinite     orbicular     diffus- 
ing) ,   and-t  h  a  t-of-Abimael 
(absolute  fullness)  and-that- 
of-Sheba   (rest  restoring). 


26.  Et-Jaktan  (1'attenu- 
ation)  produisit  1'existence- 
d'Almodad  (la  mensuration 
probatoire    et    divine),  et- 
celle-de-Shaleph    (1'emission 
reflechie)    et-c  e  1 1  e-de-Hot- 
zar-moth  (la  scission  ope>ee 
par  la  mort)    et-celle-d' 
Jar  ah  (la  manifestation  ra- 
dieuse,  f raternelle ;  la  lune. ) 

27.  E  t-celle-d'flacforam 
(la  splendeur  universelle), 
et-celle-d'  A  uzal    (le  feu 
6pur6  et  divin)   et-celle-de- 
Dikelah  (la  rarefaction  eth- 
eree  et  sonore). 

28.  Et-c  e  1 1  e-tie-Whobal 
(1'orbe  infini),  et-celle-d' 
Abimael  (le  pere  de  la  p!6n- 
itude),  et-celle-de-S^eba  (le 
retour  au  repos). 


word  1~1%  is  taken  here,  not  only  for  death,  but  for  Its  very  cause, 
mortality. 

m—nX1,  and-that-of-Iarah The  word  ni"  signifies  liter- 
ally, the  moon.  It  is  composed,  by  contraction,  of  the  two  roots 
n8~N"l ,  one  of  which  characterizes  visibility,  and  the  other  fraternity. 
These  two  roots,  reduced  to  the  syllable  Pl"l,  receive  the  Initial  sign 
of  potential  manifestation  -• 

v.  27.  Dl'nrrnXI,  and-t  hat-of-Hadoram The  word  ThD 

which  signifies  literally,  splendour,  glory,  has  received  the  sign  Q 
which  universalizes  its  meaning. 

Vnx-niO,  and-that-of-Awzal This  is  the  root  TIN  applied 

to  ether,  fire,  purified  air,  to  which  is  united  by  contraction,  the 
final  Sx.  This  word,  taken  as  nominal  verb,  In  SlTX ,  expresses 
the  action  of  being  carried  rapidly  from  one  place  to  another,  to 
communicate  sympathetically,  In  the  same  manner  as  an  electric 
spark. 


298        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

29.     W'aeth-A6phir  w'    - 
seth-Hawilah    w'aeth-Jdbab : 
chol-selleh  benei  Jaktan. 


nbp"l"nXl  ,  and-that-of-Dikelah....  One  finds  in  this  word  two 
contracted  roots,  Vp~p"l:  by  the  first,  is  understood  a  rarefaction  push- 
ed to  extreme  subtlety;  by  the  second,  a  lightness  raised  to  the  simple 
consistency  of  sound.  One  feels  clearly  that  there  exist  no  words  in 
our  modern  tongues  capable  of  expressing  the  ideas  attached  to 
those  of  Dikelah,  of  Awzal,  of  Hadoram:  for,  whatever  may  be  tne 
gases  and  the  fluids  which  our  physicists  have  discovered,  they 
have  not  yet  attained  to  those  known  by  the  priests  of  Thebes. 


v.  28.  SatirnXl.  and-that-of-Whobal  ____  The  root  2W,  applied 
to  every  elevation,  to  every  orbicular  depth,  is  united  by  contraction 
to  the  root  ^2,  which  pushes  the  meaning  to  the  limits  of  what  is 
possible. 

Sxtt-DX-nXl  ,  and-that-of-Abimael  ----  These  terms  have  noth- 
ing difficult. 

XDE-nXl,  and-that-of-Sheba  ----  This  is  the  same  word  used  by 
Moses  in  y.  7.  of  this  chapter:  but  the  difference  of  the  generation 
places  a  great  difference  between  the  respective  meaning  which  they 
contain.  The  repose  produced  by  the  igneous  force  would  not  be 
the  same  as  that  emanated  from  the  providential  power. 

v.  29.  IDiX-nXl,  and-that-of-Aophir  ____  This  is  relative  to 
the  aspect  under  which  one  has  considered  the  word  ISiN,  as  some 
have  seen  gold,  and  others,  ashes:  thus  the  hieroglyphic  sense  some- 
times means  noble  and  sometimes  base.  To  translate  it  exactly, 
would  require  terms  which  we  still  lack.  This  word  formed  with 
deep  skill,  comes  from  the  two  contracted  roots  •)X~--pX.  The  first, 
*•)*{**,  contains  in  itself  the  idea  of  a  thing  going  to  its  end,  at- 
taining its  goal;  the  second,  IN,  is  well  known  to  be  the  symbol 
of  the  elementary  principle. 

Xl,   and-that-of-Haurilah  ____        This  word   is  presented   in 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  299 

29.     A  n  d-that-of-Aopftir  29.    Et-celle-d'AopJur  (la 

(elementary  fulfilled  end),  fin    e*16mentaire),    et-celle- 

and-thSit-of-Hawilah    ( tried  de-Haivilah  ( la  vertu  6prou- 

yirtue)   and-that-of  7  o  6  a  h  v6e),    et-celle-de-Jo&ab    (la 

(shout,   huzza!)    all-those-  jubilation,  le  cri  d'allSgres- 

were  the-issued-offspring  of  se!)  tous-ceux-la-furent  les- 

Jaktan  (manifested  lessen-  enfans  de-Jaktan  (I'att&ra- 

ing)  (of  evil).  ation)   (du  mal). 


v.  7.  of  this  chapter;  but  although  It  Is  always  derived  from  the 
root  Sin  or  'rn,  It  has  not,  however,  the  same  expression,  on  ac- 
count of  the  generation  of  Shem  which  modifies  it.  Emerging  from 
igneous  force,  it  characterized  energy;  issued  from  providential 
power  it  is  the  emblem  of  virtue. 

aaV'-nm.  and-that-of-Iobab I  do  not  wish  to  conceal  from 

my  readers  that  the  word  33**,  from  which  we  make  jubilee  and 
jubilation  after  the  Latin,  was  formed  in  the  Egyptian  tongue  from 
an  onomatopoetic  root  somewhat  vulgar,  and  signified  literally  to 
bark.  But,  as  the  dog  was,  in  the  hieroglyphic  style,  the  emblem 
of  one  of  the  most  profound  theurgic  mysteries,  his  cry  was,  in  that 
same  style,  the  expression  of  the  keenest  and  most  exalted  joy.  In 
Hebrew  as  well  as  in  Chaldaic,  the  word  3D",  signifies  an  acclama- 
tion, a  cry  of  cheerfulness,  a  general  approbation.  It  is  the  same 
in  the  Syriac  Jba~,  and  in  the  Ethiopic  J?7/l  (ibah). 

v.  30.  XEtttt,  from-harvest-spiritual-fruitt....  1  have  explained 
this  word  in  v.  23,  of  this  chapter. 

K~CD,  of -spiritual-contriving. . . .  The  vulgar  meaning  of  this 
word  is  book.  It  is  the  name  itself  of  the  work  of  Moses,  to  which 
I  have  restored  it.  It  is  derived  from  the  root  fp,  applied  to  every 
idea  of  addition,  adjunction,  accumulation,  supplement,  etc. 

n~)pn"in.  to-the-height  of-pristine-time I  have  had  occasion 

many  times  to  speak  of  the  word  cip,  and  particularly  In  v.  8,  ch. 
II,  where  the  same  roots  and  the  same  words  represented  a  great 
number  of  times,  have  always  involved  the  same  sense.  The  reader 
should  also  observe  that  in  conformity  with  my  promise,  I  have 


300        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
30.     Wa-ihi  moshab'am     nN3    NB7DO    D3K>'iD    7H 


changed  no  character  under  pretext  of  reforming  it.  My  etymologies 
are  all  supported  by  the  same  principles,  are  developed  without  ef- 
fort, and  succeed  without  contradiction.  Therefore,  as  I  have  said, 
my  Grammar  has  proved  my  Translation;  and  my  Translation,  my 
Grammar.  I  arrive  at  the  close  of  my  labour  with  the  innate 
conviction  of  having  satisfied  my  reader,  if  my  reader,  exempt  from 
prejudice,  has  put  into  his  examination  as  much  good  faith  as  I  have 
put  into  my  work. 

v.  31  and  32.  All  these  terms  are  understood.  It  is  needless 
for  us  to  stop  longer;  but  before  passing  on  to  the  correct  transla- 
tion, I  have  still  some  observations  to  make,  and  I  beg  my  readers 
to  give  a  moment's  attention. 

I  have  said  in  the  Preliminary  Discourse  at  the  head  of  these 
notes,  that  what  I  called  THE  COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES,  was  in- 
eluded  in  the  first  ten  chapters  of  the  BerasJiitn:  considering  these 
ten  chapters  as  a  sort  of  sacred  decade,  wherein  were  developed, 
following  the  signification  of  numbers,  the  birth  of  the  Universe  and 
its  principal  vicissitudes. 

I  know  very  well  that  this  ancient  custom  of  giving  a  certain 
signification  to  numbers,  will  not  be  in  accordance  with  the  taste  of 
the  greater  .part  of  modern  savants,  who,  accustomed  only  to  hear 
numbers  spoken  of  under  their  purely  mathematical  relations,  doubt 
that  one  could  without  folly,  attribute  to  them  a  meaning  beyond 
that  which  they  express  physically.  These  savants  are  quite  excus- 
able in  scoffing  at  those  who,  without  any  real  knowledge  of  an- 
tiquity have  undertaken  to  speak  a  tongue  of  whose  rudimentary 
principles  they  are  ignorant;  I  do  not  pretend  to  blame  them.  On 
the  contrary,  I  find  as  they  have,  nothing  more  ridiculous  than  what 
certain  persons  have  written  of  numbers.  But  let  me  make  a 
comparison. 

Because  there  are  bad  musicians,  must  we  eliminate  music  from 
the  beaux  arts?  Because  one  can  no  longer  penetrate  the  depths  of 
this  art  today,  and  because  one  is  limited  to  the  composition  of 
certain  operas,  and  to  the  execution  of  certain  symphonies,  must  one 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  301 

30.    And-such-was  the-re-        30.     Et-tel-fut-le-lieu  du- 

storing-place-of-them,  from-  r  e  t  o  u  r-a-eux,  d  e  p  u  i  s-la 

harvest-spiritual-fruits,   by-  m  o  i  s  s  o  n-des-fruits-spirit- 

dint  of-spiritual-contriving,  uels,  a-force  de-meditations- 

to-the-h  eight  of-pristine-  d'esprit,  jusqu'au-s  o  m  m  e  t 

time.  de-Fanteriorit6  des-temps. 

charge  Plato  with  falsehood  for  having  said  that  music  was  the 
key  to  all  knowledge?  Is  it  necessary  to  believe  that  Buddha  in 
India,  Kong-tze  in  China  and  even  the  Scandinavian  to  whom  has 
been  given  the  name  of  Woden,  consulted  together  at  such  distances, 
both  of  time  and  place,  to  say  the  same  thing,  if  this  thing  had 
not  had  some  foundation?  Is  it  not  more  simple  to  think  that  we 
have  lost  certain  underlying  ideas  concerning  the  manner  of  study- 
ing music;  and  that  if  we  would,  perhaps,  consider  this  art  from 
the  standpoint  that  the  Hindu  sages,  those  of  China,  those  of  ancient 
Greece,  and  even  the  Druids,  our  ancestors,  have  considered  it,  we 
would  find  there  the  same  moral  resources  and  the  same  sublimities? 

Plato  who  saw  in  music  other  things  than  the  musicians  of  our 
day,  saw  also  in  numbers,  a  meaning  that  our  algebraists  no  longer 
see.  He  had  learned  to  see  this  meaning  according  to  Pythagoras 
who  had  received  it  from  the  Egyptians.  Now,  the  Egyptians  were 
not  alone  agreed  in  giving  to  numbers  a  mysterious  signification. 
It  suffices  to  open  certain  ancient  books  to  see  that  from  the  oriental 
limits  of  Asia  to  the  occidental  bournes  of  Europe,  the  same  idea 
governed  this  subject.  If  I  had  not  decided  to  omit  citations  in  my 
notes,  I  could  easily  fill  entire  pages  with  them. 

Therefore  let  us  be  reasonable.  Can  all  antiquity  be  charged 
with  folly?  Can  it  be  believed  that  Pythagoras  was  a  man  of  weak 
mind,  Plato  foolish,  Kong-tze  ignorant?  But  if  these  men  had 
just  ideas,  then  there  certainly  did  exist  a  tongue  of  numbers,  since 
they  never  wearied  speaking  of  it.  Now  what  was  this  tongue? 
In  what  did  it  consist?  It  consisted  in  taking  numbers  in  certain 
intellectual  relations,  in  the  same  manner  that  one  takes  them 
today  in  their  physical  relations;  so  that,  as  an  English  geometrician 
can  understand  a  problem  of  mathematics  put  down  by  a  French 


302        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 
31.     ^lleh  benei.-Shem 


hem. 


geometrician  in  algebraic  characters  and  solve  it  without  understand- 
ing the  French  tongue,  so  could  a  wise  Chaldean  grasp  a  mystery 
of  transcendental  philosophy  announced  in  hieroglyphic  numbers  by 
an  Egyptian  without  the  least  knowledge  of  his  idiom:  and  as  the 
geometrician  knows  very  well  that  the  characters  which  he  uses 
have  no  power  in  themselves  and  that  they  are  only  the  signs  of 
forces  or  physical  quantities,  the  Chaldean  sage  knew  also  that  the 
numbers  which  served  him  were  only  symbols  chosen  to  express  the 
forces  of  intellectual  Nature. 

The  vulgar,  it  is  true  did  not  think  the  same;  for  the  vulgar 
is  vulgar  everywhere.  Not  so  very  long  ago  there  were  some  among 
us  who  took  the  geometricians  for  sorcerers,  and  the  astronomers 
were  menaced  with  burning.  The  people  of  Memphis  and  Babylon, 
as  ignorant  as  those  of  Rome,  did  not  separate  the  sign  that  they 
saw,  from  the  idea  it  was  said  to  contain;  for  example,  imagining 
that  the  number  four,  which  represented  universal  multiplicating 
force,  was  that  force  itself.  Many  men,  usurping  the  title  of  sage 
held  to  this  thought:  but  it  is  an  absurdity  into  which  the  true 
sages  never  fell.  The  symbol  of  the  famous  Tetrad  was  only 
a  simple  four  for  Pythagoras  when  it  was  not  attached  to  the  idea 
of  the  universal  Motive  Power;  in  the  same  manner  as  an  a:  is  only 
an  x  for  the  algebraist  who  has  not  resolved  to  see  the  unknown 
which  he  is  seeking. 

It  is  very  important  to  know  this.  In  fact,  it  is  because  this 
has  not  been  known,  that  there  has  been  so  much  irrational  talk 
for  and  against  numbers.  This  tongue  seems  absolutely  lost  today 
and  I  would  have  refrained  from  speaking  of  it,  if  Moses,  whose 
work  I  am  translating  had  not  used  it  in  several  places  in  his 
Sepher.  Moreover,  I  have  not  pretended  to  reestablish  it;  for  that 
enterprise  would  have  demanded  other  labours.  I  have  only  be- 
lieved it  useful  to  note  the  places  where  one  cannot,  without  its 
help,  penetrate  wholly  the  meaning  of  the  hierographic  writer. 
These  passages  are  those  in  which,  under  pretence  of  chronology 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  303 

31.    Those-are  the-issued-  31.      Tels-sont-les-enfans- 

offspring   of-S hem,   after-  de  Shem,  selon-les-tribus-a- 

the-tribels-of-t  hem,     after-  eux,  selon-les-langues-a-eux, 

t  h  e-speeches-their-own,   in-  dans-les-terres-a-eux,  d '  a  p- 

the-lands-of-t hem,   by-the-  res-les-organisations-univer- 

organic-bodies-their's.  selles-a-eux. 

he  appears  to  fix  the  dates,  or  calculate  the  age  of  its  cosmogonlcal 
personages.  I  heartily  deplore  the  infinite  pains  that  the  savants, 
otherwise  most  estimable,  have  given  themselves  to  excuse  its 
frequent  anachronisms,  and  to  make  the  Hebrew  text  and  the 
Samaritan,  agree.  They  did  not  perceive  that  these  -were  symbols 
which  they  submitted  to  their  calculations;  and  that  Mosea,  so  rich 
and  so  grand  in  this  way,  could  not, have  been  so  poor  and  petty. 
Indeed,  a  world  whose  creation  did  not  go  back  six  thousand  years 
and  which  lasted  only  about  4200  years  from  its  universal  deluge, 
•would  foe  a  world  exceedingly  modern  in  comparison  with  ours 
where  the  slightest  ideas  whether  in  history,  or  in  physics,  force 
us  to  go  back  to  an  incomparable  antiquity. 

Every  time  that  one  takes  literally,  the  periods  and  the  numbers 
of  Moses,  he  is  lost  in  an  inextricable  labyrinth.  It  will  never 
be  explained  in  a  satisfactory  manner  why  the  Samaritan  text 
which  shortens  the  duration  from  the  creation  to  the  deluge  by 
three  cycles,  lengthens  on  the  contrary,  that  from  the  deluge  to 
the  call  of  Abraham,  not  only  by  the  three  suppressed  cycles,  but 
again  by  three  more  cycles;  why  the  Hellenists  having  the  two 
texts  before  them  have  followed  neither,  lengthening  arbitrarily 
the  duration  from  the  creation  to  the  deluge,  by  nearly  eight  cycles 
and  that  from  the  deluge  to  the  call  of  Abraham  by  more  than 
seven;  which  gives  altogether  a  space  of  fifteen  hundred  years 
beyond  the  one  fixed  by  the  Hebrew  text. 

But  these  difficulties,  insurmountable  otherwise,  disappear  when 
one  thinks  that  Esdras  and  the  Hellenists  had  very  strong  reasons, 
the  one,  for  being  separated  from  the  Samaritan  text  and  the  others, 
for  altering  this  mysterious  chronology.  Esdras  wishing,  as  we 
have  already  seen,  to  make  the  Hebraic  /Sepher  forever  distinguished 
from  the  Samaritan  Sepher  which  he  had  anathematized,  had  no 
better  means,  without  injuring  the  text,  than  that  of  changing 


304         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 


32,  ^Jlleh  mishephehdth 
benei-Noah  rtho-ledoth'am 
b'goie-hem  w-me-selleh  nip- 
redou  ha-goim  ba-aretz  ahar 
ha-mabboul. 


the  form  of  certain  symbolic  numbers  which,  had  no  influence  on 
the  sacred  doctrine;  and  the  Hellenist  Essenes,  fleeing  from  every 
kind  of  profanation,  could  not  better  prove,  that  their  intention 
had  been  not  to  unveil  any  of  the  Mosaic  mysteries,  than  by 
changing  completely  those  numbers,  whose  exact  translation  they 
could  not  give  without  exposing  its  meaning  to  the  eyes  of  the 
profane:  for  not  only  the  Chaldeans,  but  those  of  the  Egyptians 
and  the  Greeks,  initiated  in  the  science  of  numbers,  would  have 
grasped  the  thought  of  Moses  by  the  sole  inspection  of  his  chronology. 

An  impartial  reader  who  follows  me  attentively  will  easily 
understand,  that  in  admitting  with  me  the  hierographic  significa- 
tion of  the  numbers  alluded  to  in  the  Sepher,  every  difficulty 
relative  to  the  pretended  brevity  of  the  duration  of  the  world,  as 
well  as  to  the  anachronisms,  and  differences,  found  between  the  two 
texts  and  the  translation  of  the  Hellenists,  ceases;  whereas,  if  one 
considers  these  numbers  according  to  their  arithmetical  value,  one 
of  two  things  is  necessary,  either  to  regard  Moses  as  an  unlearned 
man,  or  to  extinguish  every  historical  and  physical  light  which 
demonstrates  the  antiquity  of  the  terrestrial  globe. 

Without  explaining  entirely  the  symbolic  signification  of  numbers, 
because  to  do  this  it  -would  be  necessary  to  restore  a  science  seem- 
ingly lost,  a  laborious  and  dangerous  undertaking,  I  have  said 
enough  to  put  the  reader  on  the  path  of  discoveries.  First  I  have 
given  the  interpretation  of  the  Hebraic  decade.  This  was  all  the 
more  useful  as  I  know  that  each  chapter  of  the  Berceshith  bears  the 
character  of  its  number.  Without  this  important  consideration,  and 
if  I  had  not  seen  that  the  Cosmogony,  properly  so-called,  was  con- 
tained in  a  sort  of  hieroglyphic  decade,  I  would  not  have  translated 
this  tenth  chapter,  which  being  only  a .  sort  of  passing  or  link 
between  two  parts  of  the  same  whole,  belongs  still  more  to  the 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  305 

32.     These-a  r  e  the- tribes  32.     Telles-sont  les-tribus 

o  f-t  h  e-i  s  s  u  e  d-beings    of-  des-etres-emanes  de-^  o  a  h , 

Noah,    af  ter-the-symbolical-  selon-1  e  s-characteristiques- 

progenies  of-t  hem,  in-the-  generations-a-eux,   dans-les- 

organic-b  o  d  i  e  s-their-own :  organisations-constituantes- 

a  n  d-through-t  hose   were-  a-eux ;    et-par-ceux-la-meme 

parted   the-organic-natural-  f  u  r  e  n  t-diversifiees  les-or- 

bodies,    in-the-earth,    after-  ganisations-naturelles    e  n  - 

the-great-swelling     (of    wa-  la-terre,   apres-la-grande-in- 

ters).  tumescence  (des  eaux). 


Geology   which   it  begins,   than   to   the  Cosmogony   which  it   finishes. 
I   feel  that  this  has  need   of  an   explanation. 

The  number  ten  has  in  particular  in  the  tongue  of  numbers, 
that  which  is  at  once  final  and  initial:  that  is  to  say.  that  it 
terminates  the  first  decade  and  begins  the  second,  containing  thus 
two  expressions  and  presenting  Itself  at  the  same  time  as  term 
and  as  principle.  I  beg  the  reader  to  examine  the  example  of  a 
thing  somewhat  difficult  to  understand  otherwise. 

First  Decade        Second  Decade  Third  Decade 

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.  etc. 

1.  2.  3.  4.  5.  6.  7.  8.  9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.  etc. 

1.  2.  3.  4.  6.  6.  7.  8.  9.10.  etc. 

1.  etc. 

It  can  be  seen  in  this  example  that  the  number  10  of  the  first 
decade,  corresponds  to  number  1  of  the  second;  so  that  if  one 
follows  the  arithmetical  progression,  the  numbers  corresponding 
are  found  to  be  10  and  1,  11  and  2,  12  and  3,  etc.  Always  by  adding 
the  members  of  the  complex  numbers  to  form  the  simple  number. 

Now  I  must  state  for  those  of  my  readers  who  do  not  fear  new 
and  profound  ideas,  that  the  first  ten  chapters  of  the  Beraeshith  do 
not  correspond  to  the  first  decade  such  as  is  explained  above,  but 
to  the  second:  so  that  they  lead  one  to  think  that  this  book  had 
a  beginning  composed  of  nine  chapters,  of  which  the  first  of  the 
Beraeshith  formed  the  tenth.  This  beginning  was  consecrated  to 
Theogony  and  was  upon  the  essence  of  the  Divinity.  I  have  strong 


306         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE   RESTORED 


reasons  for  thinking  that  Moses,  having  received  from  the  sanctuary 
of  Thebes,  these  theogonic  principles,  and  judging  rightly  that  the 
Hebrews  whom  he  had  'been  called  upon  to  lead,  were  in  no  con- 
dition to  support  them,  he  therefore  suppressed  them.  He  limited 
himself  to  the  Cosmogony  and  began  his  work  in  the  manner  that 
we  have  seen. 

The  first  chapter,  10/1,  was  that  of  Principiation :  there,  all  ap- 
pears in  power  of  being,  in  germ. 

The  second  chapter,  11/2,  was  that  of  Distinction:  the  principle 
here  passes  from  power  into  action. 

The  third,  12/3,  was  that  of  Extraction:  a  great  opposition  takes 
place. 

The  fourth,  13/4,  was  that  of  Divisional  Multiplication:  that  is  to 
Bay,  of  that  sort  of  multiplication  which  takes  place  when  a  whole 
is  divided  into  parts. 

The  fifth,  14/5,  was  that  of  Facultative  Comprehension. 
The  sixth,   15/6,  was  that  of  Proportional  Measurement. 

The  seventh,  16/7,  was  that  of  Consummation:  the  equilibrium 
is  "broken;  a  terrible  catastrophe  ensues;  the  Universe  is  renewed. 

The  eighth,  17/8,  was  that  of  Accumulation:  the  divided 
things  returning  to  their  common  principles,  becoming  united. 

The  ninth,  18/9,  was  that  of  Restoration  Consolidated:  a  new 
movement  begins. 

The  tenth,  19/20,  was  that  of  Aggregative  and  Formative  Energy: 
the  natural  forces  unfold  and  act. 


Cosmogony  of  Moses 


Correct  Translation 


. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES 


CHAPTER  I. 


Principiation. 

1.  ^Elohim  created  in  principle  (the  potential  exist- 
ence of)   the  Heavens  and  the  Earth. 

2.  And  the  Earth  was  contingent  potentiality  in  a 
potentiality   of  being:   and   Darkness    ( compressive  and 
hardening  force)    was  upon  the  Face  of  the  Deep   (in- 
finite  source   of   potential    existence) ;   and   the    Breath 
(Divine  Spirit)  of  yElohim,  was  pregnantly  moving  upon 
the  face  of  the  Waters   (universal  passivity). 

3.  And  ^lohim  said  (declaring  His  Will)  Light  shall 
be:  and  Light  was. 

4.  And  uElohim  declared    (did  ken)    this  Luminous 
Essence  good:  and  ./Elohim  made  a  division    (caused  a 
dividing  motion   to  exist)    between   the  Light  and   the 
Darkness. 

5.  And    ^Elohim    called    (declaring    His   Will)    the 
Light,  Day  (luminous  period,  phenomenal  manifestation), 
and    the    Darkness    (sensible    and    material    existence), 
Night  (negative  manifestation,  nutation  of  things)  :  then 
were  evening  and   morning    (west  and  east) — first  day 
(first  phenomenal  manifestation). 

6.  And  ^Elohim  said,  An  ethereal  expanse  shall  be  in 
the  midst  of  the  Waters  (in  the  centre  of  universal  pas- 
sivity), and  a  rarefying  force  dividing  the  waters  from 
the  waters  (division  of  their  opposed  energies). 

309 


310        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

7.  And    JElohim    made    the    ethereal    expanse    and 
divided  the  inferior  faculties  of  the  waters  from  their 
superior  faculties:  and  it  was  so. 

8.  And   ^Elohim    called    (declaring   His   Will),   the 
ethereal  expanse,  Heavens   (exalted  waters)  :  then  were 
evening    and    morning     (west    and    east) — second    day 
(second  phenomenal  manifestation). 

9.  And  ^Elohim  said,  The  waters  below  the  heavens 
shall  be  gathered  unto  one  place,  and  Dryness  shall  ap- 
pear :  and  it  was  so. 

10.  And  ^Elohim  called  the  Dryness,  Earth  (termina- 
ting and  final  element),  and  the  gathering  place  of  the 
waters,  he  called  Seas  (aqueous  immensity)  :  and  ^Elohim 
saw  that  it  was  good. 

11.  And  ^Elohim  said,  The  Earth  shall  bring  forth 
shoots,  — vegetating  and  germinating  herb,  with  innate 
seed,  a  fruitful  substance  bearing  fruit  after  its  kind  and 
having  within  itself  its  seminal  power — on   the  Earth: 
and  it  was  so. 

12.  And  the  Earth  brought  forth  shoots,  the  vegetat- 
ing and   germinating   herb,   with   innate   seed   after   its 
kind,  and  a  fruitful  substance  bearing  fruit  and  having 
within  itself  its  seminal   power,   after  its  kind :  — and 
JClohim  saw  that  it  was  good. 

13.  Then  were  evening  and  mjorning  (west  and  east) 
— third  day   (third  phenomenal  manifestation). 

14.  And  2Elohim  said,  Centres  of  Light  (luminaries) 
shall  be  in  the  ethereal  expanse  of  the  Heavens,  to  cause 
a   movement   of   separation    between    the   Day   and    the 
Night,  and  they  shall  be  as  signs  to  come,  both  for  tem- 
poral divisions  and  for  universal  phenomenal  manifesta- 
tions, and  for  ontological  mutation   (of  beings). 

15.  And  they  shall  be  as    (sensible)    Lights  in  the 
ethereal  expanse  of  the  Heavens  to  give    (intelligible) 
Light  upon  the  Earth :  and  it  was  so. 

16.  And  ^Elohirn  made   (the  potential  existence  of) 
that  dyad  of  great  luminous  foci,  the  greater  as  symbolic 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  311 

representation  of  the  day  (universal  manifestation),  and 
the  smaller  as  symbolic  representation  of  the  night  (neg- 
ative manifestation)  :  and  the  stars  (virtual  forces  of  the 
universe). 

17.  And  ^Elohim  placed  them  in  the  ethereal  expanse 
of   the   Heavens   to   give    (intelligible)    Light    upon   the 
Earth. 

18.  And  to  act  as  symbolic  types  in  the  day  and  in 
the  night,  and  to  cause  a  movement  of  separation  be- 
tween the  light  and  the  darkness:  and  ^Elohim  saw  that 
it  was  good. 

19.  Then    were    evening    and    morning    (west    and 
east)   — fourth  day   (fourth  phenomenal  manifestation). 

20.  And  ^Elohim  said,  The  Waters  shall  bring  forth 
abundantly,  vermiform  and  volatile  principles  with  soul 
of  life,  moving  upon  the  Earth  and  flying  in  the  ethereal 
expanse  of  the  Heavens. 

21.  And  ^Elohim  created  (the  potential  existence  of) 
corporeal   immensities,   legions  of  marine  monsters  and 
(that  of)  all  soul  of  life,  animated  with  reptilian  move- 
ment, whose  principles  the  waters  brought  forth  abun- 
dantly,  after   their   kind,   and    (that   of)    every   winged 
fowl  after  its  kind :  and  ^Elohini  saw  that  it  was  good. 

22.  And   vElohim  blessed   them,   saying,   Be  fruitful 
and  multiply  and  fill  the  waters  in  the  seas,  and  the 
birds  shall  multiply  upon  the  earth. 

23.  Then  were  evening  and  morning  (west  and  east) 
— fifth  day    (fifth  phenomenal  manifestation). 

24.  And  ^Elohim  said,  The  Earth  shall  bring  forth 
soul  of  life   (animality)    after  its  kind,  quadruped  and 
reptile  and  terrestrial  animality  after  its  kind:  and  it 
was  so. 

25.  And  ^Elohim  made   (the  potential  existence  of) 
terrestrial  animality  after  its  kind,  and    (that  of)    the 
quadruped  after  its  kind,  and  all  life  trailing  upon  the 
ground  after  its  kind:  and  ^Elohim  saw  that  it  was  good. 

26.  And  ^Elohim  said,  We  will  make  Adam  (univer- 


312         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

sal  man)  in  our  reflected  Shadow  (image)  after  the 
laws  of  our  assimilating  action;  and  they  (mankind) 
shall  rule  over  the  fish  of  the  sea  and  over  the  birds  of 
the  air  and  over  the  quadruped  and  over  all  terrestrial 
animality  and  over  all  reptilian  life  moving  upon  the 
earth. 

27.  And  ^Elohim  created  (the  potential  existence  of) 
Adam  (universal  man)  in  his  reflected  Shadow  (image), 
in  the  shadow   of  ^Elohim   created   He  him :   male  and 
female    (collective    power,    universal    existence)    created 
He  them. 

28.  And   ^Elohim   blessed    them,    and    jElohim    said 
unto  them:  Be  fruitful  and  multiply  and  replenish  the 
earth  and  subdue  it,  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of 
the  sea,  and  over  the  birds  of  the  heavens  and  over  every 
living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the  earth. 

29.  And   JElohim   said,    Behold,    I    have   given   you 
every   herb  germinating  with  innate  seed,   which   is   on 
the  face  of  the  whole  Earth,  and  every  vegetable  sub- 
stance bearing  its   own   fruit   and   having   in   itself   its 
seminal  power:  unto  you  it  shall  be  for  food. 

20.  And  to  all  terrestrial  animality,  and  to  every 
bird  of  the  heavens,  and  to  every  living  reptilian  thing 
that  moveth  upon  the  earth  and  having  in  itself  the  in- 
nate principle  of  the  animated  breath  of  life,  every  green 
herb  shall  be  for  food:  and  it  was  so. 

31.  And  ^Elohim  saw  (did  ken)  all  that  He  had 
made  (in  potentiality),  and  behold  it  was  very  good. 
Then  were  evening  and  morning  (west  and  east) — sixth 
day  (sixth  phenomenal  manifestation). 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  313 


CHAPTER  II. 


Distinction. 

1.  Thus  were  finished   (in  potentiality)  the  Heavens 
and  the  Earth  and  all  the  ruling  law  thereof  (universal 
nature). 

2.  And   ^Elohim   accomplished,   in   the   seventh   day 
(phenomenal  manifestation),   the  sovereign  work  which 
He  had  made,  and  He  returned  to  His  Ineffable  Self, 
in   the   seventh   day    (phenomenal   manifestation),   from 
all  the  sovereign  work  which  He  had  made. 

3.  And  JElohim  blessed  the  seventh  day  and  sanctified 
(the  symbolic  existence  of)    it,  because  thereon  He  re- 
turned to  His  Ineffable  Self  from  all  the  sovereign  work, 
which   ^Elohim    had   created   according   to    His   efficient 
power. 

4.  Such  is  the  sign  (symbolic,  hieroglyphic  emblem) 
of  the  generations   of  the   Heavens   and   of  the'  Earth, 
when  they  were  created,  in  the  day  (luminous  manifesta- 
tion)   when  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  made   (in  principle)    the 
Earth  and  the  Heavens. 

5.  And   the  whole  conception  of  Nature  existed  in 
the  Earth  before  Nature  was,  and  all  its  vegetative  energy 
before  it  grew;  for  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  had  not  caused  it 
to  rain  upon  the  Earth,  and  Adam  (universal  man)  did 
not  then  exist    (in  actual   substance)    to  labour  in   the 
Adamic  element.     . 

6.  But  a  virtual  emanation  went  up  from  out  the 
Earth  and  moistened  the  whole  face  of  the  Adamic  ele- 
ment   (homogeneous  principle). 


314         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

7.  And  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  fashioned   (the  substance 
of)  Adam  (universal  man)  from  (the  sublimation  of  the 
most  subtle  parts  of)  the  Adamic  element,  and  breathed 
into    his    intelligence   an    exalted    essence   of    lives,    and 
Adam  (universal  man)  became  a  similitude  of  the  univer- 
sal soul. 

8.  And  YAHWEH  JSlohim  appointed  an  enclosure  (or- 
ganic circumference)  in  the  sphere  of  temporal  sensibil- 
ity,  (extracted)   from  the  universal  anteriority  of  time; 
and  there  He  placed  Adam  whom  He  had  fashioned  (for 
eternity). 

9.  And  YAHWEH  2Elohim  caused  to  grow  from  the 
Adamic  element,  every  vegetative  substance  pleasing  to 
the  sight  and  good  for  food :  and  a  substance  of  lives  in 
the  centre  of  the   (organic)    enclosure  and  its  essential 
substance  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil. 

10.  And  a  river   (luminous  emanation)   flowed  from 
the  sphere  of  temporal  sensibility  to  water   (vivify)   the 
(organic)    enclosure;  and  thence  it  divided  and  became 
(according  to  the  quaternary  power)   four  principles. 

11.  The  name  of  the  first  (of  those  emanating  prin- 
ciples) was  Phishon   (physical  reality,  apparent  being)  ; 
that  which  encompasseth   the  whole  earth   of   Hawilah 
(virtual  energy),  natural  source  of  gold    (luminous  re- 
flection). 

12.  And  the  gold  of  this  earth  (emblem  of  luminous 
reflection  of)    good;  there   (the  natural  source  of)    Be- 
dollah    (mysterious  separation)    and  the  Stone  Shoham 
( universal    sublimation ) . 

13.  And  the  name  of  the  second  river    (emanating 
principle)  was  Gihon  (formative  movement)  :  that  which 
encompasseth  the  whole  earth  of  Chush    (igneous  prin- 
ciple). 

14.  And   the   name   of   the   third   river    (emanating 
principle)    was  Hiddekel    (universal  propagating  fluid), 
that  which  goeth  forth  as   (the  vehicle  of  the  principle 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  315 

of)  happiness  (harmony)  :  and  the  fourth  river  (emanat- 
ing principle)  was  Phrath  (fecundating  source). 

15.  And    YAHWEH    JElohim    took    Adam    (universal 
man)  and  placed  him  in  the  (organic)  enclosure  (of  the 
sphere  of  temporal  sensibility)  to  elaborate  and  guard  it 
with  care. 

16.  And  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  commanded  Adam  saying 
(declaring  His  Will),  Of  every  vegetative  substance  of 
the  (organic)  enclosure  thou  mayest  (freely)  feed  upon. 

17.  But  of  the  physical  substance  of  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  of  evil,  thou  shalt  not  feed  thereon:  for  in 
the  day   thou   feedest   thereon,   becoming  mutable,   thou 
shalt  die   (pass  into  another  state  of  being). 

18.  And  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  said,  It  is  not  good  that 
Adam  (universal  man)  should  be  alone  (in  his  solitude)  ; 
I  will  make  him  an  auxiliary  force   (companion,  coun- 
sel) emanated  from  himself,  and  formed  in  the  reflection 
of  his  own  light. 

19.  And  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  fashioned  from  the  Adam- 
ic  element  all  terrestrial  animality  of  nature,  and  every 
bird  of  the  heavens;  and  he  brought  them  unto  Adam 
(universal  man)    to  see  what  name  relative  to  himself 
Adam   would   call   each   species;   and   whatsoever   name 
Adam  assigned  to  each  soul  of  life  (relative  to  himself), 
that  was  its  name   (expression  of  its  relation  with  the 
universal  living  soul). 

20.  And  Adam  assigned  names  to  every  quadruped, 
and  to  every  bird  of  the  heavens,  and  to  all  terrestrial 
animality  of  nature:  but  for  Adam  (universal  man)  was 
not  found  an   auxiliary   force    (companion,   counsel)    as 
luminous  reflection   of  himself. 

21.  And  YAHWEH   /Elohim  caused  a  profound  and 
sympathetic  sleep  to  fall  upon  Adam    (universal  man) 
and  he  slept;  and  He  broke  from  the  unity,  one  of  his 
involutions    (exterior  envelope,   feminine  principle)    and 
shaped  with  form  and  corporeal  beauty,  its  original  in- 
feriority   (weakness). 


316         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

22.  And  YAHWEH  JSlohim  restored  this  involution 
(exterior   envelope)    which   He   had    broken    from    (the 
substance  of)   Adam,  for   (shaping  the  form  of)   A'ishah 
(volitive  faculty,  intellectual  companion)  and  He  brought 
her  unto  Adam. 

23.  And  Adam  said  (declaring  his  thought),  This  is 
actually  universal  substance  of  my  substance  and  cor- 
poreal form  of  my  corporeal   form:  this  one  he  called 
Aishah  (efficient  volitive  faculty,  intellectual  companion) 
for  out  of  Aish  (volitive  principle,  intellectual  man)  she 
had  been  taken  in  substance. 

24.  Therefore  shall  A'ish  (intellectual  man)  leave  his 
father   and    his   mother   and   shall    cleave   unto   Aishah 
(intellectual  companion),  and  they  shall 'be  as  one  cor- 
poreal substance   (one  single  being  in  one  same  form). 

25.  And  they  were  both  entirely  uncovered  (without 
corporeal  veil  to  conceal  their  mental  conceptions),  Adam 

(universal  man)   and  Aishah   (his  volitive  faculty)   and 
they  were  not  ashamed. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  317 


CHAPTER  III. 


Extraction. 

1.  Now   Nahash    (egoism,   envy,   covetousness,    con- 
cupiscence)   was  an  insidious  passion    (blind  principle) 
in  all  elementary  life  which  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  had  made: 
and  it  said  (this  passion  Nahash)  unto  A'ishah  (volitive 
faculty  of  Adam),  Why,  hath  ^Elohim  declared,  ye  shall 
not  feed  upon  all  the  substance  of  the  organic  enclosure? 

2.  And  Aishah   (volitive  faculty)   said  unto  Nahash 
(covetous  passion),   Of  the  fruit  growing  substance  of 
the  organic  enclosure,  we  may  feed  upon, 

3.  But  of  the  fruit  of  the  substance  itself,  which  is 
in  the  centre  of  the  organic  enclosure,  ^Elohim  hath  said, 
Ye  shall  not  feed  upon  it,  ye  shall  not  carry  your  desires 
(breathe  out  your  soul)   into  it,  lest  ye  cause  your  un- 
avoidable dying. 

4.  And   Nahash    (insidious,   covetous  passion)    said 
unto  Aishah:  Not  in  dying  shall  ye  cause  your  unavoid- 
able death. 

5.  For  ^Elohim  knoweth,  that  in  the  day  ye  shall 
feed   thereon    (on   this   substance),   your   eyes   shall    be 
opened    (to  the  light)   and  ye  shall  be  as  ^iElohim,  con- 
scious of  good  and  evil. 

6.  And  Aishah  (volitive  faculty)  saw  that  this  sub- 
stance  (was)    good  for  food  and  pleasant  for  the  eyes, 
and  that  this  substance  was  desirable  to  universalize  the 
intelligence;  and  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof  and  did 
feed  upon  it  and  she  gave  also  unto  Aish    (intellectual 
principle)  united  with  her,  and  he  did  feed  thereon. 


318        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

7.  And  the  eyes  of  them  both  were  opened,  and  they 
knew  that  they  were  void  of  light  (of  virtue,  sterile  and 
unveiled  in  their  dark  principle)  and  they  brought  forth 
a  shadowy  covering,  veil  of  sadness  and  mourning,  and 
they  made  themselves  pilgrims'  cloaks. 

8.  And  they   heard   the  voice  of  YAHWEH   ^Elohim 
wafting  itself  to  and  fro  in  the  organic  enclosure  like 
the  spiritual  breath  of  day,  and  Adam,  (universal  man) 
hid  himself  and  Ai'shah   (his  volitive  faculty),  from  the 
face  of  YAHWEH  ^Elohim,  in  the  centre  of  the  substance 
itself  of  the  organic  enclosure. 

9.  And    YAHWEH    ^Elohim   called    unto   Adam    and 
said  unto  him,  Where  has  thy  will  borne  thee? 

10.  And  he  said,  I  heard  Thy  voice  in  the  organic 
enclosure  and  I  was  afraid  because  I  was  void  of  light 
(unveiled  in  my  dark  principle)   and  I  hid  myself. 

11.  And  He  said,  Who  hath  taught  thee  that  thou 
wast  void  of  light?     If  not   (the  use  of)   that  substance 
whereof  I  commanded  thee  that  thou  shouldst  not  feed. 

12.  And  Adam  (universal  man)  said,  A'ishah  (volitive 
faculty)    whom   Thou  gavest  to  be  my  companion,   she 
gave  me  of  that  substance  and  I  did  feed  upon  it. 

13.  And  YAHWEH  JElohim  said  unto  A'ishah,  Why 
hast  thou  done  that?  and  A'ishah  said,  Nahash  (insidious 
passion)  caused  my  delusion  and  I  fed  upon  it. 

14.  And  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  said  unto   Nahash,   Be- 
cause thou  hast  done  this,  cursed  be  thou,  amongst  all 
terrestrial  animality,  and  amongst  all  elementary  nature, 
according    to    thy    tortuous    inclination    shalt    thou    act 
(grovellingly,  basely),  and  upon  elementary  exhalations 
(corporeal    illusions)    shalt   thou    feed   all   the   days   of 
thy  life. 

15.  And  I  will  put  antipathy  (natural  aversion)  be- 
tween thee  and  Aishah   (volitive  faculty),  and  between 


COSMOGONY  OP  MOSES  319 

thy  progeny  and  her  progeny  (productions  of  the  volitive 
faculty) ;  hers  shall  repress  (centralize)  the  venomous 
principle  (evil)  in  thee,  and  thine  shall  repress  (cen- 
tralize) the  consequences  of  evil  in  her. 

16.  Unto  Aishah  He  said,  I  will  multiply  the  num- 
ber of  thy  physical  hindrances  (obstacles  opposed  to  the 
execution  of  thy  desires),  and  thy  mental  conceptions; 
and    in    sorrowful    travail    shalt    thou    bring    forth    thy 
productions:  and  unto  Aish  (intellectual  principle)  shall 
thy  desire  be  and  he  shall  rule  in  thee  (act  symbolically). 

17.  And  unto  Adam   (universal  man)   He  said,  Be- 
cause  thou   hast   hearkened   unto   the   voice   of   Aishah 
(volitive  faculty,  intellectual  companion),  and  hast  fed 
upon  the  substance  of  which  I  commanded  thee  saying, 
Thou  shalt  not  feed  thereof;  cursed  be  the  Adamic  ele- 
ment (homogeneous  and  like  unto  thee)  because  of  thee: 
in  painful  travail  shalt  thou  feed  upon  it  all  the  days 
(phenomenal  manifestations)  of  thy  lives. 

18.  And  harsh  and  rough  (imperfect  and  disordered) 
productions   shall   germinate   abundantly   for   thee;   and 
thou  shalt  feed  upon  the  bitter  and  withered  fruits  of 
elementary  nature. 

19.  In   continual   mental   agitation   shalt   thou   feed 
upon  it,  until  thy  return  ( reintegration )  unto  the  Adamic 
element   (homogeneous  and  like  unto  thee)  ;  for  out  of 
the    spiritual    element   wast    thou    taken    and    unto    the 
spiritual  element  shalt  thou  be  restored. 

20.  And    Adam    called    the    name    of    Aishah    (his 
volitive  faculty),  Hevah   (elementary  existence)    because 
she  was  the  mother  of  all    (that  constitutes)    existence. 

21.  And  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  made  for  Adam  and  his 
intellectual   companion,   sheltering  shapes    (bodies)    and 
enveloped  them  with  care. 

22.  And     YAHWEH     JClohim     said,     Behold     Adam 
(universal  man)  is  become  like  one  of  us,  knowing  good 
and  evil;  and  now  lest  he  put  forth  his  hand  and  take 


320        THE  HEBEAIC  TONGUE  BESTOKED 

also   of   the   Elementary    Substance   of   lives,    and    feed 
thereon  and  live  forever    (immensity   of  time)  : 

23.  Therefore,  YAHWEH  ^Elohim  separated  him  from 
the  organic  sphere  of  temporal  sensibility,  to  elaborate 
this  Adamic  element  out  of  which  he  had  been  taken. 

24.  And  He  cast  forth  Adam   (universal  man)    and 
from   the   universal   anteriority   of   time,   He   caused   to 
exist  in  the  organic  sphere  of  temporal  sensibility,  the 
Cherubim      (collective     being,     like     unto     innumerable 
legions)  and  an  incandescent  flame  of  destruction  whirl- 
ing upon   itself,   to   guard   the  way   of  the   elementary 
substance  of  lives. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  321 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Divisional  Multiplication. 

1.  And  Adam    (universal   man)    knew  Hevah    (ele- 
mentary existence,  his  efficient  volitive  faculty) ;  and  she 
conceived  and  produced  (the  existence  of)  Kain  (strong 
and   mighty   transformer,    which   seizes,   centralizes  and 
appropriates,  and  assimilates  to  itself)  ;  and  she  said,  I 
have  formed  (by  centralizing)  an»intellectual  being  of  the 
essence  of  YAHWEH. 

2.  And  she  added,  bringing  forth  his  brotherly  self, 
(the  existence  of)   Habel   (gentle,  pacific  liberator,  that 
which  releases  and  extends,  which  evaporates  and  leaves 
the  centre) ;   and   Habel   was   leader    (director)    of   the 
elementary   corporeal   world,   and   Kain  was  servant  of 
the  Adamic  element    (homogeneal  ground). 

3.  Now  it  was  from  the  end  of  the  seas  (superficial 
phenomenal  manifestations),  that  Kain  caused  to  ascend 
of  the  productions  of  the  Adamic  element,  an  offering 
unto  YAHWEH. 

4.  And  Habel  also  caused  (an  offering)  to  ascend  of 
the    firstlings   of   his   world    and    of   their   quintessence 
(most  eminent  virtues) ;  and  YAHWEH  was  saviour  unto 
Habel  and  unto  his  offering. 

5.  But  unto  Kain  and  unto  his  offering  He  was  not 
saviour;   and   Kain   was  very   wroth   and   his   face  was 
downcast. 

6.  And    YAHWEH    said    unto    Kain,    Why   art   thou 
wroth?  and  why  is  thy  face  downcast? 

7.  If  thou  doest  well,  shalt  thou  not  bear  the  sign 
(of  good  in  thee)  and  if  thou  doest  not  well,  the  sin  lieth 


322        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

at  the  dqor   (is  upon  thy  countenance) ;  and  unto  thee 
its  desire,  and  thou,  its  symbolic  representation. 

8.  And  Kain  declared  his  thought,  unto  Habel  his 
brother;  and  they  were  existing  together  in  productive 
Nature:   and   Kain    (violent   centralizer)    rose   up    (was 
materialized)    against   Habel    (gentle,   pacific   liberator) 
his  brother,  and  slew  him  (conquered  his  forces). 

9.  And  YAHWEH  said  unto  Kain,  Where  is  Habel, 
thy  brother?  and  he  said,  I  know  not:  am  I  my  brother's 
keeper? 

10.  And  he  said,  What  hast  thou  done?  the  voice  of 
the  groaning  generations  of  (future  progenies  which  were 
to  proceed  from)    thy  brother  riseth  unto  me  from  the 
Adamic  element. 

11.  And  now,  cursed  be  thou,  by  the  Adamic  element 
whose  mouth  was  opened  by  thine  own  hand,  to  receive 
the  generations   (future  progenies)   of  thy  brother. 

12.  When  thou  labourest  in  the  Adamic  element,  it 
shall   not  yield   its  virtual   force  unto   thee:   staggering 
(agitated  by  a  movement  of  uncertainty)  and  wandering 
(agitated  by  a  movement  of  fear)  thou  shalt  be  upon  the 
earth. 

13.  And  Kain  said  unto  YAHWEH,  Great  is  my  iniqui- 
ty  from  that  which   I   must  endure    (according   to   my 
purification). 

14.  Behold,  Thou  hast  driven  me  out  this  day  from 
t*he   face   of   the  Adamic   element:   and   from   Thy    face 
must  I  hide  myself  and  I  shall  be  staggering   (agitated 
by  a  movement  of  uncertainty)  and  wandering  (agitated 
by  a  movement  of  fear)  upon  the  earth:  and  it  shall  be 
that  whosoever  findeth  me  shall  slay  me. 

15.  And  YAHWEH  said  unto  him,  Whosoever  slayeth 
Kain  (thinking  to  destroy  him),  sevenfold  shall  (instead) 
exalt  him   (increase  his  power  sevenfold)  :  and  YAHWEH 
put    a    sign    upon    Kain,    so    that    anyone    finding    him 
should  not  smite  him. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  323 

16.  And  Kain  withdrew  from  the  face  of-YAHWEH 
and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Nod  (of  banishment  and  exile, 
of  troublous,  agitated  wandering)  the  temporal  anterior- 
ity of  elementary  sensibility. 

17.  And  Kain  knew  Ai'sheth    (his  intellectual  com- 
panion,   his   volitive    faculty)  :    and    she    conceived    and 
brought  forth    (the  existence  of)   Henoch    (founder,  cen- 
tral   energy)  :    then    he    builded    a    spherical    enclosure 
(stronghold)    and  he  called  the  name  of  this  spherical 
enclosure  after  the  name  of  his  son  Henoch. 

18.  And  unto  Henoch  was  born    (the  existence  of) 
Whirad   (excitative  movement,  interior  passion,  whirling 
motion)  :    and    Whirad    produced    Mehoujael     (physical 
manifestation,  objective  reality)  :  and  Mehoujael  produced 
Methoushael  (abyss  of  death)  :  and  Methoushael  produced 
Lamech    (the  knot  which  arrests  dissolution,  the  pliant 
bond  of  things). 

19.  And  Lamech  took  unto  him  two  corporeal  com- 
panions  (physical  faculties)  :  the  name  of  the  first  was 
Whadah    (evidence,   periodic   return)    and   the   name  of 
the  second  was  Tzillah   (deep,  dark,  veiled). 

20.  And  Whadah  produced   (the  existence  of)   Jabal 
(aqueous    principle,    physical    abundance,    fertility)  :    he 
who   was   the   father    (concentrating   and   appropriating 
force,    the   founder)    of   those   who   dwell    in   fixed   and 
elevated  abodes,  and  who  recognize  (the  right  of  lawful) 
property. 

21.  And  the  name  of  his  brother  was  Jubal  (univer- 
sal fluid,   principle  of  sound,   source  of  joy  and  moral 
prosperity)  :  he  who  was  the  father   (founder)   of  every 
luminous  conception,  and  that  which  is  worthy  of  loving 
admiration   (arts  and  sciences). 

22.  And   Tzillah   also   produced    (the   existence   of) 
Thubal  Kain    (central  diffusion,   mercurial  and  mineral 
principle)  who  sharpened  all  (tools  of)  copper  and  iron 
(instructor  of  those  who  work  in  metals,  excavate  mines 
and  forge  iron)  :  and  the  kindred  of  Thubal  Kain  was 


324         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

Nawhomah     (principle    of    aggregation,    association    of 
peoples). 

23.  And   Lamech    (the  knot  which  arrests  dissolu- 
tion)    said    unto    his    corporeal    companions     (physical 
faculties)  Whadah  and  Tzillah:  Hearken  unto  my  voice, 
ye  companions  of  Lamech,   listen  unto  my  speech :   for 
I   have  slain    (destroyed)    the  intellectual   individuality 
of    me    (that    which    is    individualized    by    his    volitive 
faculty)   for  my  extension   (free  exercise  of  his  forces), 
and  the  progeny   (spirit  of  the  race,  particular  lineage) 
for  my  formation   (in  the  great  family  of  peoples). 

24.  So  sevenfold  shall  be  exalted    (the  centralizing 
constitutive  forces  of)   Kain   (mighty  transformer),  and 
Lamech    (flexible   bond   things),    seventy   and   sevenfold 
(exalted). 

25.  And  Adam  (universal  man)  again  knew  his  in- 
tellectual companion   (efficient  volitive  faculty),  and  she 
produced  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Sheth  (basis,  foun- 
dation   of   things)  :    For   thus,    said   she,    hath   JSlohim 
founded  in  me  another  seed  (basis  of  another  generation, 
emanated)  from  the  mutation  of  Habel,  whom  Kain  slew. 

26.  And  unto  Sheth  likewise,  was  generated  a  son: 
and   he   called   his   name  ^Enosh    (mutable   being,    cor- 
poreal man)  :  then  hope  was  caused  (to  support  his  sor- 
row),   by    calling   upon    (invocation    of)    the   name   of 
YAHWEH. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  325 


CHAPTER  V. 


Facultative  Comprehension 

1.  This  is  the  book  of  the  (symbolical)   generations 
of  Adam    (universal  man)    from  the  day  when  ^Elohim 
created  Adam;  according  to  the  assimilating  action  of 
JSlohim,  made  he  his  self  sameness  (determined  his  poten- 
tial existence). 

2.  Male  and  female   (cause  and  means)   created  He 
them  (collectively) ;  and  He  blessed  them  and  He  called 
their    (universal)    name   Adam,    in    the   day    when    He 
created  them    (universally). 

3.  And  Adam   existed   three  tens  and  one  hundred 
cycles   (of  temporal  ontological  mutation)  ;  and  he  pro- 
duced  according   to   his  assimilating  action,   in   his   re- 
flected  shadow,   an   emanated   being,   and   he  called   his 
name  Sheth   (basis  and  foundation  of  things). 

4.  And    the    days     (luminous    periods,    phenomenal 
manifestations)  of  Adam,  after  he  had  brought  forth  (the 
existence  of)   Sheth,  were  eight  hundred  cycles  (of  onto- 
logical mutation)  :  and  he  produced  sons  and  daughters 
(many  emanated  beings). 

5.  And  all  the  days  (luminous  periods)  during  which 
Adam  (universal  man)  existed,  were  nine  hundred  cycles 
and  three  tens  (of  ontological  mutation)  :  and  he  passed 
away  (returned  to  universal  seity). 

6.  And  Sheth   (basis  of  things)  existed  five  and  one 
hundred  cycles    (of  ontological  mutation),  and  he  pro- 
duced ^Enosh  (mutable  being,  corporeal  man). 

7.  And  Sheth  existed  after  he  produced   (the  exist- 
ence of)  ^Enosh,  seven  and  eight  hundred  cycles  (of  on- 


326         THE  HEBKAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

tological  mutation),  and  he  produced  sons  and  daughters 
(many  emanated  beings). 

8.  And   all   the  days    (luminous   periods)    of   Sheth 
were  two  and  one  ten  and  nine  hundred  cycles   (of  on- 
tological  mutation),  and  he  passed  away    (returned  to 
universal  seity). 

9.  And  J£nosh   (mutable  being,  corporeal  man)   ex- 
isted nine  tens  of  cycles  (of  ontological  mutation),  and 
he  produced  Kainan  (general  usurpation). 

10.  And  2Enosh  existed  after  he  produced   (the  ex- 
istence of)   Kainan,  five  and  one  ten  and  eight  hundred 
cycles   (of  ontological  mutation)   and  he  produced  sons 
and  daughters   (many  emanated  beings). 

11.  And  all  the  days   (luminous  periods)   of  2Enosh 
were  five  and  nine  hundred  cycles  (of  ontological  muta- 
tion), and  he  passed  away  (returned  to  universal  seity). 

12.  And    Kainan   existed    seven    tens   of   cycles    (of 
ontological     mutation),     and     he     produced     Mahollael 
(mighty  exaltation,  splendour). 

13.  And    Kainan    existed    after    he    produced     (the 
existence   of)    Mahollael,    four   tens   and   eight   hundred 
C37cles   (of  ontological  mutation),  and  he  produced  sons 
and  daughters  (many  emanated  beings). 

14.  And  all  the  days  (luminous  periods)  of  Kainan 
were  ten  and  nine  hundred  cycles   (of  ontological  muta- 
tion), and  he  passed  away  (returned  to  universal  seity). 

15.  And    Mahollael    (mighty   exaltation,    splendour) 
existed  five  and  six  tens  of  cycles   (of  ontological  muta- 
tion) and  he  produced  Ired  (steadfastness,  perseverance, 
either  upward  or  downward). 

16.  And   Mahollael   existed   after  he  produced    (the 
existence  of)   Ired,  three  tens  and  eight  hundred  cycles 
(of  ontological   mutation),   and   he   produced   sons   and 
daughters   (many  emanated  beings). 

17.  And  all  the  days  (luminous  periods)   of  Mahol- 
lael were  five  and  nine  tens  and  eight  hundred  cycles 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  327 

(of   ontological    mutation),    and    he    passed    away    (re- 
turned to  universal  seity). 

18.  And  Ired  existed  two  and  six  tens,  and  one  hun- 
dred cycles   (of  ontological  mutation),  and  he  produced 
Henoch   (centralization,  contrition). 

19.  And    Ired   existed    after    he   produced    (the   ex- 
istence of)   Henoch,  eight  hundred  cycles  (of  ontological 
mutation),  and  he  produced  sons  and  daughters   (many 
emanated  beings). 

20.  And   all   the  days    (luminous   periods)    of   Ired 
were  two  and  six  tens  and  nine  hundred  cycles   (of  on- 
tological  mutation),  and   he  passed  away    (returned  to 
universal  seity). 

21.  And  Henoch  existed  five  and  six  tens  of  cycles 
(of  ontological  mutation),  and  he  produced  Methoushaleh 
(abyss  of  death). 

22.  And  Henoch  followed  in  the  steps  of  -^Elohim, 
after  he  produced  (the  existence  of)  Methoushaleh,  three 
hundred  cycles    (of  ontological   mutation),  and  he  pro- 
duced sons  and  daughters   (many  emanated  beings). 

23.  And  all  the  days  (luminous  periods)   of  Henoch 
were   five   and   six   tens   and   three   hundred   cycles    (of 
ontological  mutation). 

24.  And   Henoch   followed   in   the  steps  of  ^Elohim 
and   (there  was)   naught  of  him   (ceased  to  exist  without 
ceasing  to  be) ;  for  ^Elohim  withdrew  him  unto  Himself. 

25.  And  Methoushaleh  existed  seven  and  eight  tens 
and  one  hundred  cycles   (of  ontological  mutation),  and 
he  produced  (the  existence  of)   Lamech  (the  knot  which 
arrests  dissolution ) . 

26.  And    Methoushaleh    existed    after    lie    produced 
(the  existence  of)  Lamech,  two  and  eight  tens  and  seven 
hundred  cycles    (of  ontological   mutation),  and  he  pro- 
duced sons  and  daughters  (many  emanated  beings). 

27.  And  all  the  days  (luminous  periods)  of  Methou- 


328         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

shaleh  were  nine  and  six  tens  and  nine  hundred  cycles 
(of  ontological  mutation),  and  he  passed  away  (returned 
to  universal  seity). 

28.  And   Lamech    (pliant   bond   of   things)    existed 
two  and  eight  tens,  and  one  hundred  cycles    (of  onto- 
logical  mutation),   and   he  produced   a  son    (emanated 
being). 

29.  And  he  called   his  name  Noah    (repose  of  ele- 
mentary  Nature) ;  saying,   This  shall   rest  us    (oar  ex- 
istence)   and   lighten   0ur  labour,   and   the  physical   ob- 
stacles of  our  hands,  because  of  the  Adamic  element  which 
YAHWEH  hath  cursed. 

30.  And  Lamech  existed  after  he  produced  this  son, 
five  and  nine  tens,  and  five  hundred  cycles  (of  ontological 
mutation),  and  he  produced  sons  and  daughters   (many 
emanated  beings). 

31.  And  all  the  days  (luminous  periods)  of  Lamech 
were  seven  and  seven  tens  and  seven  hundred  cycles   (of 
ontological   mutation),   and   he   passed   away    (returned 
to  universal  seity). 

32.  And  Noah  (repose  of  elementary  nature)  was  the 
son   of  five   hundred   cycles    (of  ontological   mutation)  : 
and  Noah  produced  (the  existence  of)  Shem  (that  which 
is   lofty,    bright)    and    (the   existence   of)    Cham    (that 
which    is    curved,    dark,    hot)    and    (the   existence    of) 
Japheth  (that  which  is  wide,  extended). 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  329 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Proportional  Measurement 

1.  Now  it  was   (it  came  to  pass)    because  of  the 
downfall   of  Adam    (dissolution   of   universal   man)    by 
multiplying  upon  the  face  of  the  Adamic  element,  that 
daughters  (sentient  and  corporeal  forms)  were  abundant- 
ly produced  unto  them  (the  divisions  of  Adam). 

2.  And  the  sons   (spiritual  emanations)   of  ^Elohim 
beheld   the  daughters    (corporeal   forms)    of  Adam   that 
they  were  fair:  and  they  took  unto  themselves  of  those 
physical  faculties,  whichsoever  they  desired  most. 

3.  And  YAHWEH  said,  My  breath   (vivifying  spirit) 
shall  no  more  be  diffused  (in  bountiful  profusion)   upon 
Adam    (universal  man)    during  the  immensity  of  time, 
because  of  his  degeneration :  inasmuch  as  he  is  corporeal, 
his  days   (luminous  periods)   shall  be  one  hundred  fold 
and  two  tens  of  cycles   (of  ontological  mutation). 

4.  And    the    Nephilim    (elect    amongst    men,    noble 
illustrious   ones)    were   upon   the  earth   in   those  days: 
and    also    after    that,    sons    (spiritual    emanations)    of 
^Elohim    had   come   in   unto    (mingled   with)    daughters 
(corporeal  faculties)  of  Adam  (universal  man)  and  they 
had     produced     through     them     those    same     Ghiborim 
(mighty  men,  those  famous  Hyperboreans)   who  were  of 
old,  corporeal  men  (heros)  of  renown. 

5.  And  YAHWEH  saw  that  the  perversity  of  Adam 
(mankind)  increased  upon  the  earth  and  that  every  con- 
ception  (intellectual  production)   of  the  thoughts  of  his 
heart  diffused  evil  all  that  day  (during  that  phenomenal 
manifestation,  luminous  period). 


330        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

6.  And  YAHWEH  renounced    (withdrew  His  loving 
power  from  the  existence  of)    Adam   (mankind)   on  the 
earth,  and  He  repressed  Himself  in  His  heart   (evinced 
severity). 

7.  And  YAHWEH  said,   I  will  efface    (the  existence 
of)    Adam    (mankind)    which  I   have  created,  from  the 
face  of  the  Adamic  element:  from  Adam   (mankind)   to 
the  quadruped,  the  creeping  kind  and  the  bird  of  the 
heavens:  for  I  renounce  (the  preserving  care  of)   having 
made  them. 

8.  But  Noah  (repose  of  nature)  found  grace  in  the 
eyes  of  YAHWEH. 

9.  These  are  the  symbolic  generations  of  Noah:  of 
Noah,   intellectual   principle   manifesting   the  justice   of 
universal   virtues   in    his   generations    (cyclic    periods)  : 
Noah  followed  in  the  steps  of  ^Elohim. 

10.  And   Noah    (repose   of   nature)    produced   three 
sons  (triad  of  emanated  beings)  :  the  existence  of  Shem 
(that  which  is  lofty,  brilliant),  of  Cham  (that  which  is 
curved,  dark,  gloomy),  and  of  Japheth   (that  which  ex- 
tends without  limit). 

11.  And  the  earth  was  corrupt  (debased,  degraded) 
before  the  face  of  ^Elohim :  and  the  earth  was  filled  with 
a  violent  degrading  heat  (dark  and  devouring). 

12.  And  ^Elohim  looked  upon  the  earth  and  behold 
it  was  corrupt,  because  every  corporeal   form  had   cor- 
rupted its  own  way  (law)  upon  the  earth. 

13.  And  JSlohim  said  unto  Noah  (repose  of  nature), 
The  end  of  every  corporeal  form  draws  near  before  my 
face:   for  the  earth   is   filled   with   a  violent   degrading 
heat    (dark  and  devouring)    over  the  whole  face  of  it: 
and  behold,  I  leave  the  earth  to  its  own  destruction. 

14.  Make  thee  a  Thebah  (sheltering  abode,  enclosure, 
refuge)    of   preserving    elementary    substance:    hollowed 
and  roomed  thou  shalt  make  the  Thebah :  and  thou  shalt 
smear  the  interior  and  the  exterior  circumference  with 
corporeal  substance. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  331 

15.  And  thus  shalt  thou  make  it :  three  hundred  fold 
of  mother-measure  the  length  of  the  Thebah  (mysterious, 
sacred  abode)  :  five  tens  of  mother-measure  the  breadth 
of  it  and  three  tens  of  mother-measure  the  bulk  (solidity) 
of  it. 

16.  Gathering  light,  thou  shalt  make  for  the  Thebah ; 
and  according  to  the  mother-measure,  the  orbicular  ex- 
tent in  its  upper  part :  and  the  opening  of  the  Thebah 
shalt  thou  place  in  its  opposite  part:  the  lower  parts, 
thou  shalt  make  twofold  and  threefold. 

17.  And  I,  behold  I,  do  bring  the  great  intumescence 
(of  the  waters)    upon  the  earth,   to  destroy  every  cor- 
poreal form  wherein  is  the  breath  of  lives :  from  under 
the  heavens,  all  that  is  upon  the  earth  shall  perish. 

18.  And    I    will    establish    My   creative   might   with 
thee   and   thou   shalt  enter   the   Thebah,   thou   and   thy 
sons   (spiritual  emanations)   and  thine  intellectual  com- 
panion    (efficient    volitive    faculty)     and    the    corporeal 
companions  of  thy  sons    (their  natural   faculties)    with 
thee. 

19.  And    of   every   living   kind,   of  every   corporeal 
form,  two  of  every  kind  shalt  thou  bring  into  the  Thebah 
(mysterious  abode)   to  exist  with  thee:  male  and  female 
shall  they  be. 

20.  Of  fowl  after  its  kind,  of  quadruped  after  its 
kind,    of  every   creeping   thing   of   the   Adamic   element 
after   its   kind,    two   of   every   species   shall   come    unto 
thee  to  preserve  existence  there. 

21.  And  'thou  shalt  take  unto  thee  of  all  food  that 
is  eaten:  thou  shalt   gather  it  unto  thee:  and  it  shall 
be  for  food  for  thee  and  for  them. 

22.  And  Noah  did  all  that  ^Elohim  had  commanded 
him:  thus  did  he. 


332    THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Consummation. 

1.  And  YAHWEH  said  unto  Noah,  Come  thou  and  all 
thine  interior  into  the  Thebah    (sheltering  abode)  :  for 
thee    (thy   self  sameness)    have   I    seen   righteous   before 
My  face  in  this  generation   (of  perversity). 

2.  Of  every  pure  quadruped  kind,   thou  shalt  take 
unto    thee,    seven-by-seven,    the    principle    and    the    ef- 
ficient volitive   faculty:    and   of   the   impure   quadruped 
kind,  two-by-two,  the  principle  and  the  efficient  volitive 
faculty. 

3.  Of  the  fowl  of  the  heavens  also  seven-by-seven, 
male  and  female,  to  preserve  (the  existence  of)   the  seed 
upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

4.  For  in  this  seventh  day  (luminous  period,  phenom- 
enal   manifestation),    I    will    cause   to   rain    (move    the 
watery  element)    upon  the  earth,  four  tens  of  days    (a 
great  quaternion  of  light)  and  four  tens  of  nights  (great 
quaternion  of  darkness)  :  and  I  will  efface  all  substantial, 
plastic  nature  that  I  have  made,  from  the  face  of  the 
Adamic  element. 

5.  And  Noah  did  all  that  ^Elohim  had  commanded 
him. 

6.  And  Noah  was  the  son  of  six  hundred  cycles  (of 
ontological    mutation),    when    the    great    intumescence 
(of  the  waters)  was  upon  the  earth. 

7.  And  Noah  went,  and  his  sons  (emanated  beings) 
and  his  intellectual  companion  (efficient  volitive  faculty) 
and  the  corporeal  companions  of  his  sons  (their  physical 
faculties)   into  the  Thebah   (mysterious  abode)   from  the 
face  (of  the  waters)  of  the  great  intumescence. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  333 

8.  Of  the  pure  quadruped  kind  and  of  the  impure 
quadruped  kind  and  of  fowl  and  of  every  creeping  thing 
animated  with  reptilian  movement  upon  the  Adamic  ele- 
ment. 

9.  Two  and  two   they  came  unto  Noah    (repose  of 
nature)    into  the  Thebah    (sheltering  abode),  male  and 
female,  as  ^Elohim  had  commanded  Noah. 

10.  And  it  was  on  the  seventh  of  the  days  (luminous 
periods,  phenomenal  manifestations)   that  the  waters  of 
the  great  intumescence  were  upon  the  earth. 

11.  In  the  six  hundredth  ontological  mutation  of  the 
lives  of  Noah,  in  the  second  neomenia,  in  the  seventeenth 
day    (luminous   period)    of  that   moon-renewal:   in   that 
same  day  were  opened  all  the  springs  of  the  potential, 
universal  deep,  and  the  multiplying  quaternions  of  the 
heavens  were  loosened. 

12.  And    there    was    a    falling    of    water    (aqueous 
atmosphere)    upon   the  earth   unceasingly,   four  tens   of 
days  and  four  tens  of  nights   (an  entire  quaternion  of 
light  and  darkness). 

13.  Into  the  substantial  principle  of  this  day  (seventh 
luminous  period)   went  Noah   (repose  of  elementary  ex- 
istence), and  Shem  (brilliant  elevation),  and  Cham  (dark 
inclination),  and  Japheth  (extended  space),  sons  (eman- 
ated productions)  of  Noah,  and  his  intellectual  companion 

(efficient  volitive  faculty),  and  the  corporeal  companions 
(physical  faculties)  of  his  sons  with  them,  into  the 
Thebah  (place  of  refuge). 

14.  They,  and  all  terrestrial  animality  after  its  kind, 
and  every  quadruped  after  its  kind,  and  every  creeping 
thing   with   reptilian   motion   after   its   kind,   and   every 
fowl  after  its  kind :  every  thing  that  moves  swiftly,  every- 
thing that  flies. 

15.  And  they  went  unto   Noah    (repose  of  nature) 
into    the   Thebah    (sheltering   abode)    two   and    two    of 
every  corporeal  form  having  in  itself  the  breath  of  lives. 


334         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

16.  And    thus   they   went    in,    male   and    female   of 
every  corporeal  form,  as  ^Elohim  had  commanded:  and 
YAHWEH  finished  and  withdrew  Himself. 

17.  And   the  great   intumescence  was   four   tens   of 
days  (luminous  periods)  upon  the  earth:  and  the  waters 
increased  greatly  and  they  bore  up  the  Thebah,  which 
was  lifted  up  above  the  earth. 

18.  And  the  waters  prevailed  and  were  greatly  in- 
creased upon  the  earth:  and  the  Thebah  moved  to  and 
fro  upon  the  face  of  the  waters. 

19.  And  the  waters  prevailed  to  their  fullest  extent 
upon  the  earth :  and  all  the  high  mountains  were  covered, 
which  are  beneath  the  whole  heavens. 

20.  Fifteen    mother-measure    above    them    did    the 
waters  prevail:  and  the  mountains  were  wholly  covered. 

21.  Thus    perished     (disappeared)     every    corporeal 
form  moving  upon  the  earth,  of  birds  and  of  quadruped, 
of    terrestrial    animality    and    of    every    creeping    thing 
moving  with   reptilian   motion   upon   the   earth   and   all 
Adam    (mankind). 

22.  Everything  having  an  emanated  essence  of  the 
breath   of  lives    (spiritual   comprehension),   perished   in 
the  exterminating  intumescence. 

23.  And  everything  (plastic,  substantial  nature)  was 
effaced  from  the  face  of  the  Adamic  elemient :  from  Adam 
(mankind)  to  the  quadruped,  from  the  reptilian  kind  to 
the  fowl  of  the  heavens :  and  they  were  effaced  from  the 
earth:   and   there   remained   only   Noah    (repose  of  ele- 
mentary nature),  and  that  which  was  with  him  in -the 
Thebah  (holy  retreat). 

24.  And  the  waters  prevailed  upon  the  earth  five  tens 
and   one  hundred  days    (luminous  periods,   phenomenal 
manifestations). 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  335 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


Accumulation. 

1.  And  ^Elohim  remembered  (the  existence  of)  Noah 
and    (that  of)    all   terrestrial   animality  and    (that   of) 
every  quadruped  with  him  in  the  Thebah    (place  of  re- 
fuge) :  and  /Elohirn  caused  a  breath  to  pass  over  the  earth, 
and  the  waters  were  checked. 

2.  And  the  springs  of  the  deep   (infinite  source  of 
potential  existence)   and  the  multiplying  quaternion  for- 
ces of  the  heavens  were  closed,  and  the  falling  of  water 
(aqueous  atmosphere)   was  exhausted  from  the  heavens. 

3.  And   the   waters   returned   to   their   former   state 
from  off  the  earth  by   (the  periodic  movement  of)    flux 
and  reflux:  and  the  waters  withdrew  (shrank)  at  the  end 
of  five  tens  and  one  hundred  days  (luminous  periods). 

4.  And  the  Thebah  rested,  in  the  seventh  moon-re- 
newal, on  the  seventeenth  day  (luminous  period)  of  that 
moon-renewal,  upon  the  heights  of  Ararat   (first  gleam 
of  luminous  effluence). 

5.  And  the  waters  were  agitated  by    (the  periodic 
movement  of)    flux  and  reflux  until  the  tenth  moon-re- 
newal:  and  in  that  tenth   (month),  on  the  first  of  the 
moon-renewal,    the   tops   of   the   mountains    (elementary 
firstlings,    principles    of    nature's    productions)     became 
visible. 

6.  And  it  was  at  the  end  of  four  tens  of  days  (the 
great  quaternion),  that  Noah  released  the  light  of  the 
Thebah,  which  he  had  made. 

7.  And  he  sent  forth  Ereb  (western  darkness)  which 


336         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

went  to  and  fro  (with  periodic  movement)  until  the  dry- 
ing up  of  the  waters  upon  the  earth. 

8.  And  he  sent  forth  lonah  (plastic  force  of  nature, 
brooding  dove)  from  him,  to  see  if  the  waters  were  light- 
ened from  off  the  face  of  the  Adamic  element. 

9.  And  lonah  found  no  place  of  rest  to  impart  its 
generative  force  and  it  returned  unto  him  into  the  Thebah, 
for  the  waters  were  still  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth  : 
and  he  put  forth  his  hand  (his  power)  and  took  it  and 
brought  it  back  unto  him  into  the  Thebah. 

10.  And  he  again  waited  a  septenary  of  days  (lum- 
inous periods)  more,  and  again -he  sent  forth  lonah  from 
the  Thebah. 

11.  And  lonah  came  back  to  him  at  the  same  time 
as  Ereb   (return  of  western  darkness),  and  lo,  an  olive 
branch   (a  sublimation  of  igneous  essence)   was  grasped 
in  its  mouth   (its  conceptive  faculty)  :  thus  Noah  knew 
that  the  waters  were  lightened  upon  the  earth. 

12.  And  he  waited  again  a  septenary  of  days  (lum- 
inous periods)    more,   and   he  sent   forth   lonah,   and   it 
(brooding  dove,  generative  faculty)    returned  not  again 
unto  him. 

13.  And  it  was  in  the  unity  and  six  hundred  cycles 
(of  ontological  mutation),  in  the  very  beginning,  at  the 
first  of  the  moon-renewal,  that  the  waters  wasted  away 
from    upon    the    earth:    and  Noah  elevated    the    shelter 
(vaulted  superficies)    of  the    Thebah    and  looked    (con- 
sidered) and  behold  they  were  wasted  (the  waters)  away 
from  upon  the  face  of  the  Adamic  element. 

14.  And  in  the  second  moon-renewal,  in  the  seven 
and  twentieth  day  of  that  moon-renewal  the  earth  was 
dried. 

15.  And  ^Elohim  spake  unto  Noah,   saying, 

16.  Issue  forth  (produce  thyself  exteriorly)  from  the 
Thebah    (sheltering  place),   thou   and   thine  intellectual 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  337 

companion  (efficient  volitive  faculty),  and  thy  sons  (eman- 
ated productions)  and  the  corporeal  companions  of  thy 
sons  (their  physical  faculties)  with  thee  together. 

17.  All  animal  life  that  is  with  thee,  of  every  corpo- 
real form,  of  fowl  and  of  quadruped  and  of  every  kind 
of  reptile  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth :  let  them  produce 
(themselves  exteriorly)    with  thee:  and  let  them  breed 
abundantly  upon  the  earth  and  be  fruitful  and  multiply 
upon  the  earth. 

18.  And  Noah  issued   forth    (was  reproduced  exte- 
riorly)   and  his  sons    (emanated   productions),   and  his 
intellectual  companion  (efficient  volitive  faculty)  and  his 
sons'  companions  (corporeal  faculties)  with  him. 

19.  All  terrestrial  animality,  all  reptilian  kind  and 
every  fowl :  every  thing  creeping  upon  the  earth  after 
their  kinds,  issued  forth  (produced  themselves  exteriorly) 
from  the  Thebah. 

20.  And  Noah  raised  up  an  altar  (place  of  sacrifice) 
unto  YAHWEH,  and  he  took  of  every  pure  quadruped  and 
of  every  pure  fowl  and  raised  a  sublimation  (caused  an 
exhalation  to  rise)   from  the  altar. 

21.  And  YAHWEH  breathed  that  fragrant  breath  of 
sweetness :  and  YAHWEH  said  within  His  heart,  I  will  not 
again  curse  the  Adamic   element  on  account  of  Adam, 
because  the  heart  of  Adam  (mankind)  has  conceived  evil 
from  his  elementary  impulses:  I  will  not  again  smite  all 
earth-born  life  (elementary  existence)  as  I  have  done. 

22.  During  all  the  days   (luminous  periods,  pheno- 
menal manifestations)  of  the  earth,  seed-time  and  harvest, 
cold  and  heat,  summer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night 
shall  not  cease. 


338        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Restoration  Consolidated. 

1.  And  ^Elohim  blessed  (the  existence  of)  Noah  and 
(that  of)  his  sons  (emanated  productions),  and  He  said 
unto  them,  Be  fruitful  and  multiply  and  replenish  the 
earth. 

2.  And  the  dazzling  brightness  of  you  and  the  awe- 
some splendour  of  you  shall  be  (impressed)  upon  all  ter- 
restrial animality  and  upon  every  bird  of  the  heavens: 
upon    all    that    receiveth    original    movement    from    the 
Adamic  element,  and  upon  every  fish  of  the  sea :  into  your 
hand  (power)  are  they  delivered. 

3.  Everything  possessing  in  itself  the  principle  of 
movement  and  of  life,  shall  be  food  for  you:  even  as  the 
green  herb  have  I  given  unto  you  all. 

4.  But  the  corporeal  form  which  has  in  its  soul,  its 
similitude    (blood   assimilation,   homogeneity)    you   shall 
not  feed  upon. 

5.  For  your  homogeneity    (likeness  of  your  soul), 
will  I  require  (avenge)  it:  from  the  hand  of  every  living 
being  will  I  require  it,  and  from  the  hand  of  Adam  ( man- 
kind) and  from  the  hand  of  A'ish  (intellectual  man)  his 
brother,  will  I  require  this  Adamic  soul  (similitude). 

6.  Whoso  sheddeth  the  blood   (homogeneous,  corpo- 
real likeness)  of  Adam  (mankind),  through  Adam  shall 
his  own  blood  be  shed :  because  in  the  universal  shadow 
(image)  of  2Elohim  made  He  (the  self  sameness  of)  Adam. 

7.  And  you,  universal  existence,  be  ye  fruitful  and 
multiply;   bring  forth   abundantly   upon  the  earth   and 
spread  yourselves  thereon. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  339 

8.  And  ^Elohim  spake  unto  Noah  and  unto  his  sons 
(his  emanations)  with  him,  saying, 

9.  And  I,  behold  I  will  establish  (in  substance)  My 
Creative  Energy  in  you  and  in  your  generation  after  you : 

10.  And  in  every  soul  of  life  that  is  with  you,  of 
fowl,  of  quadruped  and  of  all  terrestrial  animality  with 
you:  of  all  beings  issued  from  the  Thebah,    (including) 
all  terrestrial  animality. 

11.  And  I  will  establish  (in  substance)  My  Creative 
Energy  in  you:  so  that  every  corporeal  form  shall  not 
be  cut  off  any  more  by  the  great  intumescence   (of  the 
waters)  :  and  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  a  flood  to 
destroy  the  earth. 

12.  And  ^Elohim  said,  This  is  the  symbolic  sign  of 
the  Creative  Force  (law)  which  I  appoint  between  Me  and 
you,  and  every  soul  of  life  that  is  with  you,  for  perpetual 
ages  (immensity  of  time). 

13.  My  bow,  I  have  set  in  the  nebulous  expanse :  and 
it  shall  be  for  a  symbol  of  the  Creative  Force  (law)  be- 
tween Me  and  the  earth. 

14.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  I  bring  a  cloud 
over  the  earth,  that  the  bow  shall  be  seen  in  the  nebulous 
expanse. 

15.  And  I  will  remember  this  Creative  Law  which 
is  between  Me  and  you  and  every  soul  of  life  in  every 
corporeal    form:    and    the   great    intumescence    (of    the 
waters)   shall  no  more  destroy  every  corporeal  form. 

16.  And  the  bow  shall  be  in  the  nebulous  expanse, 
and  I  will  look  upon  it,  to  remember  the  Creative  Law 
(established)  for  the  immensity  of  time,  between  yElohim 
and  every  soul  of  life  in  every  corporeal  form  that  is  upon 
the  earth. 

17.  And  ^Elohim  said  unto  Noah,  This  is  the  symbol 
of  the  Creative  Force  (law)  which  I  have  established  (in 
substance)  between  Me  and  every  corporeal  form  that  is 
upon  the  earth. 


340        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

18.  Now,   the  sons    (emanations)    of  Noah    (repose 
of  nature)   issuing  from  the  Thebah   (sacred  enclosure) 
were  Shem   (that  which  is  elevated  and  shining),  Cham 
(that  which  is  dark,  curved  and  hot),  and  Japheth  (that 
which  is  extended  and  wide)  :  and  Cham  was  the  father 
of  Chanahan  (material  reality,  physical  existence). 

19.  These  three  were  the  sons    (emanated   beings) 
of  Noah  and  of  these  was  the  whole  earth  overspread 
(shared,  divided). 

20.  And  Noah  released  (gave  liberty  to)  Aish  (in- 
tellectual volitive  principle)  of  the  Adamic  element:  and 
thus  he  cultivated  that  which  is  lofty  (spiritual  heights). 

21.  And  being  steeped  with  the  spirit  of  his  produc- 
tion, he  intoxicated  his  thought   (attained  ecstasy)   and 
(in   his   exaltation)    he  revealed   himself   in   the   centre 
(most  secret  place)  of  his  tabernacle. 

22.  And  Cham  the  father    of  Chanahan    (physical, 
material  existence),  discovered  the  mysterious  secrets  of 
his  father  and  he  divulged  them  to  his  two  brothers  exte- 
riorly (materialized  them). 

23.  And  Shem  and  Japheth  took  the  left  garment 
and  raised  it  behind  them,  and  went  backward,  and  co- 
vered the  secret  mysteries  of  their  father :  and  their  faces 
(were  turned)  backward,  so  that  the  secret  mysteries  of 
their  father  they  did  not  see. 

24.  And  Noah  awaked  from  his  spiritual  ecstasy  and 
he  knew  what  his  youngest  son  (the  least  of  his  produc- 
tions) had  done  unto  him. 

25.  And  he  said,  Cursed  be  Chanahan  (physical,  ma- 
terial existence)  :  a  servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  unto 
his  brethren. 

26.  And  he  said,   Blessed   be  YAHWEH  ^Elohim   of 
Shem:  and  Chanahan  shall  be  servant  unto  them    (his 
people). 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  341 

27.  ^Elohim  shall  give  extension  unto  Japheth  and 
he  shall  dwell  in  the  tabernacles  of  Shem  (brilliant  eleva- 
tion) :  and  Chanahan  (physical,  material  existence),  shall 
be  a  servant  unto  them. 

28.  And  Noah  existed  after  the  great  intumescence 
(of  the  waters),   three  hundred  and  five  tens  of  cycles 
(of  ontological  mutation). 

29.  And  all  the  days  (luminous  periods,  phenomenal 
manifestations)    of  Noah    (repose  of  nature)    were  nine 
hundred  and  five  tens  of  cycles  (of  ontological  mutation)  : 
and  he  passed  away  (returned  to  universal  seity). 


342         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 


CHAPTER  X. 


Aggregative  and  Formative  Energy. 

1.  Now  these  (are)   the  symbolic  generations  of  the 
sons  (emanated  productions)  of  Noah  (repose  of  nature)  : 
Shem,  Cham  and  Japheth:  and  sons   (emanated  produc- 
tions) were  unto  them  after  the  great  intumescence  (of 
the  waters). 

2.  And  the  sons  (emanated  productions)  of  Japheth 
(absolute  extension)    (were)  :  Gomer  (elementary  cumu- 
lation, aggregative  force),  and   Magog  (elasticity),  and 
Madai    (infinite  commensurability  and  sufficiency),  and 
Javan  (generative  ductility),  and  Thubal  (diffusibility), 
and    Meshech    (perceptibility),    and    Thirass    (modality, 
faculty  of  appearing  under  determined  form). 

3.  And  the  sons  (emanated  productions)   of  Gomer 
(elementary    cumulation)     (were)  :    Ashechenaz     (latent 
fire,  caloric),  and  Riphath  (rarity,  centrifugal  force),  and 
Thogormah   (density,  universal  corporization,  centripetal 
force). 

4.  And  the  sons   (emanated  productions)   of  Javan 
(generative   ductility)     (were)  :    ^Elishah    (diluting  and 
moulding  energy),  and  Tharshish    (intense,   sympathetic 
principle),  of  Chittim  (Chuthites,  Scythians,  the  rejected, 
the  barbarous)  and  of  Dodanim   (Dardanians,  the  elect, 
the  civilized). 

5.  By  these   (faculties,  or  powers  of  repulsion  and 
attraction)    were  differentiated  the  centres  of  will    (in- 
terests, opinions  and  ideas  of  peoples),  of  social  organiza- 
tions in  their  lands:  every  principle    (acting)    after  its 
own  tongue,  toward  tribes    in  general,    in  their  social 
organizations. 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  343 

6.  And  the  sons   (emanated  productions)   of  Cham 
(dark,   hot  inclination)    (were)  :  Chush    (igneous  force, 
combustion),    and    Mitzeraim    (subjugating,    victorious, 
oppressing  power),  and  Phout  (suffocating,  asphyxiating 
energy),  and  Chanahan  (physical  and  material  existence). 

7.  And  the  sons   (emanated  productions)   of  Chush 
(igneous  force,  combustion)    (were)  :  Seba  (radical  mois- 
ture, principle  of  all  natural  productions),  and  Hawilah 
(natural    energy,    travail),    and    Sabethah    (determining 
movement,  cause),  and  Rahamah    (thunder),  and  Sabe- 
thecha    (determined    movement,    effect)  :    and    the    sons 
(emanated  productions)  of  Rahamah  (thunder)    (were)  : 
Sheba    (reintegration   of  principles,   electric   repulsion), 
and  Dedan    (electric  affinity). 

8.  And    Chush     (igneous    force)    produced    Nimrod 
(principle  of  disordered  will,  of  rebellion,  anarchy,  de- 
spotism) :  he  who  strove  to  be  the  dominator  of  the  earth. 

9.  He  who  was  a  lordly  adversary  (proud  opposer), 
before  the  face  of  YAHWBH  :  wherefore  it  is  said :  Even  as 
Nimrod   (principle  of  anarchical  volition),  lordly  adver- 
sary before  the  face  of  YAHWEH. 

10.  And  such   was  the  beginning    of  his  kingdom, 
Babel    (vanity),  and  Arech    (softness,  dissolution),  and 
Achad   (selfishness),  and  Chalneh   (ambition,  all  engros- 
sing desire),  in  the  land  of  Shinar  (civil  revolution). 

11.  Out  of  this  land  issued  Ashour    (principle  of 
enlightened   government,    and   the   order   and    happiness 
resulting   from   the  observation   of  laws),   and   founded 
Nineveh     (exterior    growth,    colonization,    education    of 
youth),   and   the   interior   institutions  of   the  city,   and 
Chalah    (perfecting   of    laws,   assemblage   of   wise   men, 
senate). 

12.  And    Ressen    (legislative    power,    reins    of   the 
government),  between  Nineveh   (exterior  growth,  coloni- 
zation) and  Chalah  (interior  action  of  deliberation,  sen- 
ate) :  a  very  powerful  civil  safeguard. 


344        THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

13.  And  Mitzeraim  (subjugating,  victorious,  oppres- 
sing power)  produced  (the  existence  of)  Loudim   (phys- 
ical pregnancies),  and    (that  of)   Whonamim    (material 
heaviness),  and  (that  of)  Lehabim  (inflamed  exhalations) 
and   (that  of)   Naphethuhim   (hollowed  caverns). 

14.  And  (that  of)  Phatherusim  (infinite  fragments), 
and  (that  of)  Chaseluthim  (expiatory  trials,  forgiveness 
of  sins)  from  which  issued  forth  Phelishethim  (rejected, 
infidels)  and  Chaphethorim  (converted,  faithful). 

15.  And    Chanahan    (physical,    material    existence) 
produced    (the  existence  of)  Tzidon  (insidious  adversary, 
ruse)  his  first-born,  and  (that  of)  Heth  (moral  weakness, 
debasement). 

16.  And  (that  of)   the  Jebusite   (inward  crushing), 
and  (that  of)  the^Emorite  (outward  wringing),  and  (that 
of)   the  Girgashite   (continuous  gyratory  movement). 

17.  And  (that  of)  the  Chivite  (bestial  life),  and  (that 
of)  the  Wharikite  (brutish  passions),  and  (that  of)  the 
Sinite  (hateful,  bloody  passions). 

18.  And  (that  of)  theArwadite  (plundering  desire), 
and  (that  of)  the  Tzemarite  (thirst  for  power),  and  (that 
of)  the  Hamathite  (insatiable  desire)  :  and  afterward  the 
tribes   of  the   Chanahanites    (physical   existences)    were 
scattered. 

19.  And  such  was  the  general  extent  of  the  Chana- 
hanites  (physical  existences)   through  Tzidon   (insidious 
adversary,  ruse)  :  by  dint  of  intestine  convulsion    (they 
came)  unto  consolidation,  by  intrigues,  and  tyranny,  and 
unmercifulness  and  wars  (they  came)  unto  swallowing  up 
(of  riches). 

20.  These  are  the  sons   (emanated  productions)    of 
Cham  (that  which  is  dark,  curved,  hot)  after  their  tribes, 
after  their  tongues,  in  their  lands  (and)  in  their  universal 
organizations. 

21.  And  unto  Shem   (brilliant  elevation)  were  sons 
(emanated  productions)  :  he  was  the  father  of  all  ultra- 


COSMOGONY  OF  MOSES  345 

terrestrial    productions,     (and)     the    elder    brother    of 
Japheth   (absolute  extension). 

22.  The  sons  of  Shem  (upright  and  bright)    (were)  : 
Heilam  (infinite  duration,    eternity),  and  Ashur  (lawful 
power,  harmony  and  the  happiness  which  results),  and 
Arpha-cheshad    (restoring  principle  of  providential   na- 
ture), and  Lud  (intellectual  generation),  and  Aram  (uni- 
versal elementization). 

23.  And  the  sons  of  Aram   (were)  :  Hutz   (substan- 
tiation), and  Chul  (virtual  travail),  and  Gether  (abundant 
pressing),  and  Mash  (harvest  of  spiritual  fruits), 

24.  And  Arpha-cheshad   (restoring  principle  of  pro- 
vidential   nature)    produced    Shelah    (efficacious,   divine 
grace),  and  Shelah  produced  Heber  (that  which  is  ultra- 
terrestrial,  beyond  this  world). 

25.  And  unto  Heber  were  two  sons :  the  name  of  the 
first  was  Pheleg   (separation,  classification),  for  in  his 
days  was  the  earth  divided  (classified)  :  and  his  brother's 
name  was  Yaktan  (attenuation  of  evil). 

26.  And  Yaktan  produced  (the  existence  of)  Almodad 
(divine,  probatory  mensuration ) ,  and  (that  of)   Shaleph 
(reflected   light),   and    (that  of)    Hotzarmoth    (division 
caused  by  death),  and  (that  of)  Yarah  (radiant,  fraternal 
manifestation,  the  moon). 

27.  And  (the  existence  of)  Hadoram  (universal  splen- 
dour), and   (that  of)   Auzal   (purified,  divine  fire),  and 
(that  of)   Dikelah   (sonorous  lightness,  ethereal  rarif ac- 
tion ) . 

28.  And  (the  existence  of )  Hobal  (infinite  orbicular 
diffusion),  and  (that  of)  Abimael  (father  of  absolute  full- 
ness), and  (that  of)   Sheba   ( reintegration  of  principles, 
restitution  of  repose,  redemption). 

29.  And    (the  existence  of)    Aophir   (fulfillment  of 
elementary  principle),  and    (that  of)    Hawilah    (proved 
virtue),  and   (that  of)   Yobab   (celestial  jubilation):  all 


346         THE  HEBRAIC  TONGUE  RESTORED 

these  were  the  sons   (emanated  productions)   of  Yaktan 
(attenuation  of  evil). 

30.  And  such  was  the  place  of  their  restoring  (rcin- 
tegration),  from  the  harvest  of  spiritual  fruits,  by  dint 
of  spiritual  travail  (meditation),  to  the  height  (generative 
principle)   of  the  anteriority  of  time. 

31.  These  are  the  sons   (emanated  productions)   of 
Shem    (sublime,  exalted),  after  their  tribes,  after  their 
tongues,  in  their  lands,  after  their  universal  organizations. 

32.  These  are  the  tribes  of  the  sons  (emanated  pro- 
ductions) of  Noah  (repose  of  elementary  existence)  after 
their  symbolic  generations,  in  their  constitutional  organ- 
izations:  and   of   these  were  the  natural   organizations 
(general  and  particular)    divided  in  the  earth  after  the 
great  intumescence   (of  the  waters). 


THE  END 


A  Selection  from  the 
Catalogue  of 

O.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


Complete  Catalogues  s«nt 
on  application 


The   Golden   Verses 
of   Pythagoras 


By 
Fabre  d'Olivet 

Done  into  English  by 

Nayan  Louise  Redfield 

THE  GOLDEN  VERSES  OF  PYTHAGORAS,  so 
remarkable  for  their  moral  elevation,  and  standing  as  the 
most  beautiful  monument  of  antiquity  raised  in  honor  of 
Wisdom,  were  originally  transcribed  by  Lysis  though  it  is 
to  Hierocles  that  we  owe  the  version  which  has  come 
down  to  us. 

Fabre  d'Olivet  has  translated  them  into  French  verse 
of  special  form  (eutnolpiqve)  and  in  his  Discourse  upon  the 
Essence  aad  Form  of  Poetry  in  the  present  volume  he  ex- 
plains and  illustrates  this  melodious  style. 

In  his  Examinations  of  the  Golden  Verses,  which  com- 
prises the  last  division  of  this  book,  he  has  drawn  with 
the  power  of  his  great  mind  the  metaphysical  correlation 
of  Providence,  Destiny,  and  Will. 

As  in  her  translation  of  his  earlier  work,  HERME- 
NEUTIC  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  ORIGIN  OF 
THE  SOCIAL  STATE  OF  MAN  AND  THE  DESTINY 
OF  THE  ADAMIC  RACE,  Miss  Redfield  retains  excellently 
the  fluent  style  of  the  original  and  brings  to  the  English 
the  true  spirit  of  the  French. 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


Hermeneutic  Interpretation 

of  the 
Origin  of  the  Social  State  of  Man 

and  of 
The  Destiny  of  the  Adamic  Race 

By 
Fabre  d'  Olivet 

Done  into  English  by 
Nayan  Louise  Redfield 

The  translation  is  of  a  deeply  interesting  philo- 
sophical history  of  mankind.  It  is  difficult  to  believe 
that  such  a  thorough,  scholarly,  and  original  work 
should  have  been  allowed  to  exist  for  nearly  a  century 
without  an  English  version. 

M.  d'Olivet  according  to  his  admirable  method  es- 
tablishes the  position  of  the  principles  in  ontology  and 
anthropology.  He  presents  a  metaphysical  anatomy 
of  individual  man  as  ingenious  as  plausible.  The  suc- 
cessive scale  of  the  instincts,  passions,  and  faculties  is 
then  ascended  in  a  double  mode  in  the  two  primitive 
sexes  and  is  continued  through  history  from  the  savage 
state  to  the  barbarous,  from  the  original  civilizations 
to  our  own.  M.  d'Olivet  has  given  the  public  a 
philosophical  study  of  permanent  value. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


University  of  California 

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OlflPRl?  190. 
APR  06 


994 


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